Green Features

Building materials

• The buildings are made of pre-fabricated open panel timber wall frames from a sustainable source.
• Bathroom 'pods' were sourced locally and installed using a crane as completed units to maximise productivity and reduce waste.

Energy use

• There are interactive displays showing students what energy or water they are using, enabling them to compare their energy use against their neighbours in real-time.

Heating

• The building materials used, and the high standard to which the houses and apartments have been insulated and made airtight, means that rooms require little heating.
• Radiators in the rooms have thermostatically controlled valves.
• Mechanical heat recovery ventilation units circulate fresh, filtered air, with an 80% recovery of existing heat from the building, resulting in a continuous supply of fresh air.

Water

There are a number of features to conserve water:

• Aerated taps and showers that result in less water being used - as the water streams are mixed with air.
• Water is heated using solar panels, which pre-heats water for showers and taps.
• Dual flush toilets and rainwater is used to flush toilets.
• The pond in the centre of the village is used to harvest rainwater, as are the roofs of the buildings.

Recycling

• The houses and flats have extensive recycling facilities.
• Students are encouraged to consider every single bit of waste to assess if it can be recycled. This fits with current practice in the University - there are no bins in lecture theatres, social spaces or offices. Instead a range of recycling facilities can be found helping to seperate waste for recycling effectively.

Lighting

• All rooms in the flats and houses are lit with low energy lighting.

Food

• Students will be encouraged to grow vegetables and dining rooms are large designed to enable the households to eat together.

Green Ambassadors

• A team of Green Ambassadors will teach fellow residents how to live in the most sustainable way possible.