Housebuilder Barratt Developments plc and E.ON, one of the UK's leading power and gas companies, have teamed up to deliver low cost and reliable solutions to meet the Government’s zero carbon homes agenda.

The alliance is the first of its kind in the UK and will draw on Barratt’s expertise in energy-efficient homes and E.ON's worldwide experience in low-carbon energy technology and research and development facilities.

This will initially concentrate on 10 Barratt sites comprising several thousand homes across Great Britain and will explore the best technical solutions to meet planning requirements. Drawing on E.ON's low carbon technology, the collaboration will provide a cost effective energy solution to Barratt's new housing developments, ranging from combined heat and power plants to micro renewable technology for individual homes.

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The initial sites are likely to include St Andrew's, a former hospital in Bow where 20% of the energy used will be renewable; the former Osbourne Refrigeration factory in Southampton which will comprise 90 residential units; and Hanham Hall, a 200-unit development near Bristol.

Hanham Hall will be the first zero carbon community to be built in the UK. It is the first of English Partnerships’ Carbon Challenge sites and will utilise a biomass CHP plant coupled with some of the most environmentally friendly homes ever to be built in the UK. Families living in the units will be able to cut their entire carbon footprint by an average of 60%.

(JM)