ZERO CARBON | ILKE HOMES ON TARGET Ilke Homes has vowed to manufacture zero carbon homes at zero additional cost by 2030. Andy Pearson speaks to ilkes Nigel Banks about the services strategy and the manufacturing efficiencies that will enable it to hit its goals B y 2030 ilke Homes will only manufacture homes that are zero carbon, with zero energy bills that will be made at zero additional cost. Thats the claim being made by the modular housing manufacturer at the launch of its Zero range of homes. Its a bold declaration: currently the cost premium for an ilke Zero home, with zero bills, is in the region of 10-15,000. The challenge for us is to get that additional cost down to zero in the next nine years, says Nigel Banks, director of special projects. Ilke Homes has been manufacturing modular homes at its Yorkshire factory since the companys inception three and a half years ago. Its modules are hybrid construction, built using a galvanised steel frame with structural timber sheathing. These are manufactured in various sizes for assembly in a series of configurations to produce a range of house sizes and styles from two to five bedrooms. A typical two-storey home is formed from two modules, one for each floor. A separate roof module is available for when a roof has not been incorporated into the top-floor module. In addition, ilke is working to extend its offering with the development of a range of modular apartments set to be launched soon. The modules arrive on site fully finished and ready to be craned into position; internally, kitchens and bathrooms are plumbed and tiled, rooms wired and decorated, even the carpets have been fitted. Externally too, the modules are finished: a variety of cladding options available, including brick slips; the only area not clad is a small horizontal strip either side of the junction between modules, left clear to allow the module frames to be joined by ilkes assembly team. Zero carbon homes are what weve been doing from day one, says Banks. Ilke Homes built a series of prototype homes in London in 2017; these were all-electric homes complete with solar photovoltaics (PVs), battery electric storage, and a heat pump housed within a highly insulated envelope. The companys newly launched Zero homes range builds on its experience and the lessons learned from having now completed five zero carbon sites. Banks says the homes are low energy and have been designed to eliminate fossil fuel dependency by generating enough electricity on site to reduce their operational carbon emissions (the energy used for heating, hot water, lighting, and to power fans and pumps) to zero over the course of a year. This is the same method used in the current Building Regulations (Part L 2013 SAP9.9), the proposed new Building Regulations (Part L 2022 SAP10), the 2025 Future Homes Standard and the latest London Plan, he says. To achieve zero carbon emissions, ilke has used a fabric-first We set the fabric at a high standard from day one because we didnt want to have to alter the specification significantly with every regulation change 44 September 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE Sep 21 pp44-46 ilke homes.indd 44 27/08/2021 10:17