The affordable homes, to be built by Osborne for Family Mosaic, will meet Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, a grade of a property's carbon emissions and energy use. Work will start on site later this summer.

The homes will benefit from improved thermal performance provided by SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels).  SIPs provide extremely high levels of sustainability, thermal efficiency and energy performance to minimise heat loss and significantly reduce the energy demands and carbon emissions of buildings.

Warm air heating and domestic hot water will be provided by air source heat pumps and renewable electricity will be generated via photo-voltaic roof tiles.  These look very similar to ordinary roof tiles and can be integrated in exactly the same way as interlocking concrete roof tiles.