Taylor Wimpey’s “Homes of the Future”

A review of Taylor Wimpey's 5 prototype house types for future homes compliance with WWHRS

Reaching the Uk’s 2050 target to be Net Zero for carbon emissions is a massive task across all industries and institutions. Changing behavior and embracing innovative technologies is now a MUST. With residential housing identified as one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, the UK Government announced new legislation to tackle Carbon emissions within new build homes. New Part L 2021 regulations were finally fully transitioned as of the 15th of June 2023, any new home must produce 31% less carbon, and this is just a small step towards the 2025 Future homes standard (FHS) when a 75-80% reduction against 2021 building regulations is mandatory. This journey ultimately ends with the net zero pledge by 2050.

Over the last few decades, many innovative technologies have announced themselves as energy saving products, whether they be an improvement to the fabric of the building or a product that reduces energy use. Wastewater heat recovery systems (WWHRS) are certainly identified as a technology that reduces hot water usage. Together with mixes of other technologies, WWHRS will gain enough Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) points to firstly meet the 2023 regulation change and then to go further with the FHS. With these new standards approaching fast the UK’s house builders need to be prepared with a formula to meet these new regulations. Taylor Wimpey (TW) is one of the largest and most recognisable house builders within the UK market. Their answer is to trial five prototype house types at a site in Sudbury Suffolk, to find viable solutions to guide them to compliance with the FHS. The aim is to create high quality, low carbon homes that customers will enjoy living in. These dwellings vary from the 2 bedroom “Ashenford” at 771sq ft to the grandiose 5-bedroom 1825sq ft “Garrton”.

These homes display many different product blends, yet only three technologies remain as a constant within the five prototype dwellings, these are WWHRS, triple Glazing, and an A-rated front door. This really shows off the ability and adaptability that WWHRS gives. TW is trialing an electric-only plan within these dwellings but each house type whether it has an Air source heat pump, an Exhaust Air heat pump, Heatpump cylinder or smart cylinder will benefit from the WWHRS recovering energy and feeding it back through the domestic hot water system. While also conserving precious energy by simultaneously recovering the heat from the wastewater back to the cold side of the shower. While other technologies have their advantages and will be needed alongside WWHRS, the system’s passiveness and invisibility to the end user is a key benefit, without any moving parts or planned maintenance it is a true fit-and-forget product. Buyers of new homes should welcome sustainable technologies, and as WWHRS would be installed out of sight, end users will not require any extra knowledge of the new products within their dwelling.

Within these five trial house types, a fabric first approach will reduce heat loss and costs for space heating, this will work hand in hand with a WWHRS system that reduces hot water usage therefore targeting the largest areas of energy usage within the home. During trials TW’s customers will be asked to provide feedback and utility bills to monitor performance over a large period. Recoup is the largest supplier of WWHRS products in the UK with more than a decade of experience, the supply partnership between TW and Recoup began in 2023. TW has chosen to install Recoup’s high efficiency vertical heat exchanger within these prototype homes, the Recoup Pipe HEX. Offering over 60% efficiency and allowing the potential for multiple outlets to be connected to one Pipe. Coupled with low installation times and small footprint without any specialist tools or accreditation requirements, it is the ideal solution within the new build market. Flexibility within installation designs allows for even the most difficult house types to have a WWHRS modelled in, there are even great retrofit possibilities. Three installation types are recognised within SAP. With Recoup’s product range growing and further development of new lines going, the standard three bed semi-detached is not the only building type that can gain from these heat recovery systems.

With roadmaps being set out for FHS and net zero targets, collaboration between house builders and suppliers such as Recoup is paramount in creating a sustainable future. Let us hope that other developers will choose to follow TW’s lead. Starting the journey to create their own formulae for eco-friendly dwellings, to reduce their carbon footprints.

For more information on Taylor Wimpey’s future homes trial see the article on their website.