An opportunity to work in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland to design and build an exemplar housing model to showcase how the latest principles in resource efficiency can be applied in house-building is being offered to architects, builders and developers, it has been announced.

Zero Waste Scotland aims to drive innovation and change in the house-building market by supporting a development partner or partner group to demonstrate how resource efficiency measures can be included within the design and construction, and how this can contribute towards a resource efficient lifestyle for future occupants. The exemplar build will be required to meet the 2016 Scottish Building Standards.

Set on a site of the former Ravenscraig Steelworks in Lanarkshire, the project is part of the Building Research Establishment’s (BRE) Innovation Park, which aims to showcase the future of Scottish housing.

The search is now on to find a developer ready to take on the challenge to deliver a highly innovative yet affordable resource-efficient house which could position them as a market-leader in Scotland’s future housing developments.

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Iain Gulland, Director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: "Embedding resource efficiency in the design and construction of Scottish homes allows far-reaching benefits to be achieved.

"Building an average three-bed unit can produce between 5 to 13 tonnes of construction waste, which costs between £250 and £500 per unit. Much of this is excess materials which could be avoided through better procurement and site processes or reused elsewhere.

"The design of our homes affects our every-day life, and living in homes built with resource efficiency in mind can make it easier for us all to live a greener lifestyle. For example, recycling more can be made easier if our homes have more storage space, and well-insulated properties can save homeowners money on energy bills.

"Our project will work with a developer to bring a design for a family home based on resource efficiency principles to market. This could fundamentally change the future of the Scottish house-building industry. And by constructing this exemplar using best practice techniques in procurement and waste management, the developer will set a market-leading standard which could be replicated to reduce waste in the construction industry in the long-term and potentially influence the next generation of building standard regulations."

The successful Development Partner will construct the house on a development plot funded by Zero Waste Scotland at the BRE Innovation Park. Selected build materials and fit out furnishings will be made available to the Development Partner on a free issue basis to support the construction of the house.

Following construction, the House will be showcased as part of the Park for at least two years.

BRE is hosting an Innovation Park brokering event today, at the Thistle Hotel Glasgow, where further information regarding the Zero Waste Scotland House will be provided. Details and booking arrangements can be found at the following link.

(GK)