Councillor Peter Rogers, Ynys Mon AM Rhun ap Iorweth, Grŵp Cynefin development manager Huw Evans and John Arthur Jones, chairman of Grŵp Cynefin
An energy saving initiative developed in Germany will help residents in a rural Anglesey community lower their heating bills to as little as £100 a year.
Housing association Grŵp Cynefin has unveiled five innovative properties in Dwyran, near Llanfairpwll, that meet the energy efficient Passivhaus standard.
Grŵp Cynefin is the first housing association in North Wales to manage Passivhaus energy efficient homes for local families. Tenants are set to move into the rural homes on Anglesey before the end of July.
Construction to the standard, developed by the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt, Germany, means that homes retain as much heat as possible and require minimal energy.
The properties’ in-built energy-saving technologies result in heating bills as low as just £100 per year for residents, and form part of Grŵp Cynefin’s commitment to supporting rural communities across North Wales.
Huw Evans, Grŵp Cynefin’s development manager, said the homes would help tenants slash their fuel bills and increase their energy efficiency.
Huw said: “The homes are super insulated, triple glazed and have mechanical heat recovery systems, which collects hot air from around the house, cleans it and re-distributes it elsewhere.
“All of these help keep the whole house at a steady temperature. Whether the temperature is minus four or 30 degrees outside, the house will be maintained at a steady 21 to 25 degrees.
“The properties also feature solar thermal heating, which uses sunlight to heat the house’s water.
“The Building Research Establishment will supply energy monitors for the next 12 months, so that we can check that the houses perform as we expect and also offer further advice to tenants on their energy usage.”
As part of Rural Housing Week, Grŵp Cynefin gave local councillors and Ynys Mon AM Rhun ap Iorwerth a guided tour of the futuristic homes.
Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Affordable housing is the lifeblood of any sustainable rural community, and it’s fantastic to see these energy efficient homes on our doorstep in Dwyran.
“I congratulate Grŵp Cynefin for its innovation and look forward to welcoming local families to continue living, working and enjoying life here in Anglesey.”
The innovative homes are the first Passivhaus developments within Grŵp Cynefin’s portfolio of more than 3,700 properties, with plans under way for similar homes in the future.
Grŵp Cynefin has a further three Passivhaus homes on site at Dwyran, as well as a further eight in the pipeline at Penrhyndeudraeth, near Porthmadog.
John Arthur Jones, chairman of Grŵp Cynefin, said: “We take great pride in finding innovative ways to support communities across North Wales.
“These homes have been acquired to help our tenants. Fuel poverty is a significant issue within many rural communities, and properties like this drastically reduce the impact of heating bills, while also helping the environment.
“It’s just one of a number of ways we’re fulfilling our commitment to supporting rural communities and our tenants in as many ways as possible.”
For more information on Grŵp Cynefin’s Passivhaus projects, visit grwpcynefin.org, call 0300 111 2122, or follow @Grwp_Cynefin on Twitter.
