An estate of New Lincolnshire homes will offer zero energy bills for two years using smart tech and solar power
Barratt Redrow has partnered with British Gas to deliver homes with no energy bills for two years in a UK-first pilot scheme.
The new development, Pastures Place in Lincolnshire, will feature 10 smart homes packed with green tech – including solar panels, batteries and heat pumps – all controlled by Hive’s intelligent energy software.
The trial allows homeowners to live without paying for electricity used for heating, lighting, cooking or appliances, in exchange for sharing data on how they use their homes.
Data collected will be used to help understand the real-world performance of energy-efficient homes and their potential for large-scale rollout.
Savings are estimated at £1,258 a year per household. After the trial ends, homes that produce more energy than they use can sell back to the grid under the Smart Export Guarantee scheme.
“This is an important step forward from the concept homes we’ve built at the University of Salford,” said Oliver Novakovic of Barratt Redrow. “We’re now testing what it means for customers in real homes and how much they can benefit from smarter, low-carbon living.”
The pilot will be independently assessed by the University of Salford’s Energy House 2.0 researchers, who will monitor household performance and link it to potential mortgage valuation improvements.
British Gas’ parent company Centrica says Hive’s smart software is already helping more than two million UK homes cut emissions and costs.
“The right eco-tech empowers people to take control of their energy use,” said Hamish Phillips from Centrica. “It can also support their goals to live more sustainably.”
If the trial is successful, the scheme could be rolled out to future developments as part of the push towards homes that meet the Future Homes Standard.
