Simple Header

Why Zero Bills Homes are the future of innovative housing solutions

Page Description

The Zero Bills Home was introduced in 2016 by the RIBA award-winning, zero-carbon design and development pioneers, ZEDfactory.

Zero Bills Homes

The first development featured 96 Zero Bills Homes and was built in Newport, Essex, for the Sir Arthur Ellis Family Trust. This development provides a cost-effective, zero-carbon housing solution, with no net annual energy bills.

Superinsulated cladding with heat recovery ventilation and triple glazing reduces heat demand to the point where a tiny heat pump can provide comfort and hot water.

Good daylight, water saving appliances and LED lighting reduces electric demand allowing surplus solar electricity to power an electric car.

The Zero Bills Home at the BRE Science Park

Feature Large

Overview of the Zero Bills Home

The home comes as a kit: a steel frame with timber wall panels, mostly manufactured in the UK for a lower carbon footprint. It minimises the use of urethane foams, high off-gassing materials and low lifecycle materials.

The home is designed to need no external supply of electricity or gas, thanks to its built-in solar roof, battery storage and zero fossil fuel energy systems. In fact, the home also pays back its embodied carbon by generating more electricity than it needs over a typical year.

This is particularly important in light of rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis, with energy bills expected to rise to an average of £3,000 later this year.

The system is affordable at £1350 per square metre and is quick and easy to build. This off-the-shelf solution could play a key role in delivering the Government’s target to deliver 300,000 new homes per year.

Icon List

Key features of the Zero Bills Home

Super-insulated concrete foundation slab with optional additional piles to match most ground conditions
Laser cut galvanised steel powder-coated structural ring beam with C16 UK timber studs
UK-fabricated OSB structural boards enable one floor to be built every two days
Super-insulated cladding with heat recovery ventilation and triple glazing reduces heat demand; only a tiny heat pump is needed for comfort and hot water
BIPV solar roofing system provides durable roof with electric generation and optional solar loft conservatory
Clever use of natural light, water-saving appliances and LED lighting reduce electricity demand; surplus solar power can charge an electric car
A smart LIPO4 Fitcraft battery system under the stairs stores solar electricity, minimising grid imports and limiting grid export to 3kw maximum
Simple and adaptable plans for any plot orientation; detached, semi and terraced homes
Open structural system increases flexibility for self-build and site-specific variations