New Housing development benefits from solar
C21e roof tile installation at the Poppyfields showroom, Derby
Eco-savvy housebuyers in and around Derby have the chance to reduce their carbon footprint, and electricity costs, in style. Wheeldon Homes is offering our latest solar power as part of the package of value-added options at its prestigious Poppyfields development in Mickleover.
An exclusive development of 20 four-bedroom homes comprising a range of four exciting house types, Poppyfields will appeal to both families and executives. The two showhomes at Poppyfields have been installed our innovative C21e solar photovoltaic, or electricity-generating roof tiles. Buyers are encouraged to consider specifying solar power along with the other options that individualise each home.
“Wheeldon Homes has tapped into solar power as a way to offer homebuyers an easy route to being more green in their day to day lifestyle,” explains James Parkin of Wheeldon Homes. “Consumers are increasingly aware of the effects of climate change, so integrating environmental measures into the home is just one more way of making a contribution to a more sustainable existence.”
Solar power provides protection against the future price rises in electricity costs, which are estimated to rise by 7.5% each year. When it comes to selling the house, the presence of solar power can command as much as a 10% premium over other similar homes on the open market.
Housebuyers visiting the showhomes at Poppyfields will notice a small monitor inside each house, which displays how much electricity the tiles on the roof are generating, and how much CO2 they are saving. Each home has a 1.2 kWp solar system, capable of producing over 1000 kWh of electricity per year and saving a tonne of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.
Our C21e roof tiles are not discernable from the ground. Instead they blend naturally with the standard roof tiles, maintaining the natural pitch of the roof. The tiles generate environmentally sound electricity for the home by absorbing photons during daylight hours and transforming this into electricity, which can be used around the house in the same way as conventional electricity. Because of the immense power of the sun, the tiles are just as effective on cloudy days.
Because the home is also linked to the National Grid, night-time electricity requirements are drawn from it. Meanwhile, power that is generated by the C21e roof tiles, but not used in the home, is transported back to the National Grid, showing as a credit on electricity bills. The homeowner stands to gain 18p for every kWh of electricity that is exported to the Grid, as recently announced by Scottish & Southern Electricity.
“Not only is solar power a good way to protect yourself from the inevitable price rises of standard electricity,” explains Jeremy Leggett, CEO of Solarcentury, “Homeowners can actually get paid for the electricity they generate. Having a solar system on the roof does not present any problems either; the solar roof tiles are maintenance free, with no moving parts. Therefore the risk of things going awry is minimal, while any dust or debris that naturally accumulates on the roof is washed away during normal rainfall.”
