Setting the example
The first low-cost energy positive house in Wales was designed and constructed as part of the Wales Low Carbon Research institute’s SOLCER project (Smart Operation for a Low Carbon Energy Region). The SOLCER house is a three-bedroom two-storey residential building debuting a combination of reduced energy demand, renewable energy production, and energy storage.
The building combines existing technologies in an innovative way and showcases what is doable today. The energy system of the house combines solar generation and battery storage. The south-facing roof has fully integrated photovoltaic panels. This reduces the cost of bolting them to a standard roof and allows the area below the roof to be naturally lit. The north-facing roof has lithium-ion batteries for energy storage.
The building produces more energy than it uses. Reduced energy demand was achieved by using thick insulation, reducing air leakages and using an innovative energy-efficient design including structural insulated panels, transpired solar collectors and low-emitting windows and doors. Thus the CO2 emissions of the building materials are around a third lower than those of a standard house.
It was important to use local suppliers and installers during the construction project. The project and building is intended for training and to demonstrate the technologies both to local companies and internationally. These solutions can easily be replicated.
Key benefits
”We have been working over the past five years with the range of industry partners in Wales, developing low-carbon technologies for buildings. This is the accumulation of that work.” -- Phil Jones, Professor of architectural science, Welsh School of Architecture & Director low carbon research project, Cardiff University
“I think what we have achieved here with the technology will become mainstream construction in a few years time and I’m very proud to be involved in that.” -- Andrew Davies, Director, SIPs Wales
Fytrou-Moschopoulou, A (2015), BuildUp: SOLCER House: Wale´s first low-cost positive energy house, http://www.buildup.eu/en/practices/cases/solcer-house-wales-first-low-cost-positive-energy-house
Cardiff University (2015) SOLCER, a carbon positive house - Innovation in Sustainability Award 2015, Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgi4S89AVgY