Potton / kingspan build & show an eco showhome (open as it's built)

[MR GUS]

Sorry Lovers of thermal mass, masonry stoves etc loks like the open fire & location in the build, plus the external chimney may annoy the hell out of a good few here as missed opportunities..

The blurb
Build a sustainable barn

If you find yourself unwittingly drawn to Kevin McCloud’s dulcet tones on Grand Designs and wonder whether you are up to the challenge of carrying out your own self-build (or disaster), Bedfordshire based Kingspan Potton’s new sustainable barn project might just take your fancy.
The new build show home, being built in Little Paxton, (PE postcode) is part of an ongoing commitment to creating self builds that meet level 4 of the code for sustainable homes. That means minimum a carbon footprint and lower energy costs without scrimping on the look and feel of the timber-frame home. This is DIY taken to extremes.
As part of this, Kingspan will be building their latest self build offering over the next eight months and are inviting the public to share in the experience. Open days, online updates from contractors and videos of the project as well as supplier information will all be available so you can really see what goes into making a green dream home.
Kingspan Potton’s Tina Nash explains: “You never normally see the process behind building a show home; you just see the finished property. For would be self-builders, seeing the build is just as important as the finished result.”

For more information on the build and upcoming open days visit http://www.buildapottonbarn.co.uk/.

CODE LEVEL 4 SHOW BARN BUILD
Kingspan Potton is delighted to announce the construction of an exciting new property at its show site near St Neots in Cambridgeshire. Once complete, the new ultra energy efficient low carbon home, designed as a contemporary barn, will exceed the requirements for Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
If you’re planning your own project, it is your chance to see exactly what goes into the building of a modern, ultra energy-efficient timber frame home.
Essential information for today's self-builder
Construction has now begun at our Self Build Show Centre in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. Read the latest update from Project Manager Brent Ackerman, and see his second video on-site.
Come along on our open days on 17th - 20th August during the build,  and hear from the experts about meeting the requirements of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
To register your interest in the open days, click here to complete the form.
Have a look at the virtual tour of the home, which we've just added to the site, and see how our show barn will look!
read the latest update from Brent Ackerman, our Project Manager, on erecting the timber frame.
Watch out soon for:
Installation of energy-saving features
Details of the timber frame construction
Installation of bathrooms and kitchen

[djh]

"ultra energy-efficient" - there's another phrase to add to the BS-indicators' list.

If you look on their site, there seems to be no technical information at all. There's a link to Kingspan's insulation site that is broken - 404! There's another buzzphrase "Kingspan Logic plus", which according to google only appears on the potton wonderhouse site.

So it looks like more smoke and mirrors to me.

[clockmanFR]

Mr Gus, am i missing the point??

Seems to me when builders can not sell over expensive houses to normal folk, they then add a few bits and so called "go green" and still overcharge.

The video was bizarre not much actual working footage just "chippy" (not sure if they are time served) sorry "erectors" bashing holding timbers. (my chippy, now retired had every bit of labour saving device imaginable would not use a hammer if he had a power tool that would do the same job). Mention of scaffolders, have they gone green? telehandlers, (very expensive JCB).

The whole scheme just sounds irrational, especially the artist impression with the flash car. Just marketing hype to get some poor fool to pay over the odds for a "unique" house???

Regards Grand Designs.
 My Mrs and I have watched all of them over the years, and we only liked 5. Where the people had engaged and got physically involved to achieve a home and future but used out of the box solutions.
 The man in the woods, the Early retired couple German burnt French big granite house, the rubber tyre wall house, the 2 young things water works with mini car desk, and the artists in Italy.

My hats off to those who interact with their environment.

  

[MR GUS]

Yup, well as per the intro it is immediately seen as lacking! (& quite right too)

However it may provide the opportunity (in this slow build that has just started) for those with an interest to see ,when there is something to witness..

I only mentioned it as I ran across it in the papers, it's a short hop from me so wil have a mooch there soon, but yes BS marketing to the "extreme"

I haven't checked out vids yet, merely the clunky computer generated walk around which immediately made me think
"uh-oh"

I post it in the hope that there may be something interesting we can glean from it, at some time