Magazine: Clay Field Housing Estate
The Clay Field development, comprising 26 affordable homes, was conceived as a showcase model for cost-effective housing and represents the implementation of exemplary sustainability approaches without any "greenwashing." This passive house development, powered by a biomass combined heat and power plant, features an innovative, hemp-insulated construction and boasts an energy consumption 60 percent lower than the values prescribed for residential buildings in the UK. All rows of houses face south; for optimal solar gain, 50 percent of the south-facing facades are glazed. The construction, consisting of partially prefabricated timber frames, gypsum fiberboard, and insulation made of "Hemcrete," a hemp-based material, achieves a U-value of 0.22 W/m²K and is even CO2-negative due to its absorption capacity. Rainwater is collected in underground tanks and used for toilet flushing and garden irrigation.
