Robert Baker, project manager, Linden Homes South West, on energy efficient houses at Milbury Reach, Exminster, Devon.
Milbury Reach is a development of houses on the outskirts of Exeter, 26 of which will have timber systems supplied by Stewart Milne Timber Systems.
Our vision is to deliver a community of homes that are energy efficient and therefore cheaper to run. To do this, we have used a fabric-first approach which prioritises energy efficiency for the life cycle of the building, and for which correctly designed timber systems are well suited. Timber frame is a sustainable, low-carbon material that achieves excellent energy efficiency and integrates well with our overall vision of an environmentally responsible development.
One of the project’s key challenges is time pressure. Many of the houses have been sold off-plan and the reservation list continues to grow, so we need to deliver top-quality homes as quickly as possible.
Timber systems are manufactured offsite and erected in a series of panels that significantly increases the speed of build, and has helped us to build some of the homes four to five weeks quicker than a traditional build.
Stewart Milne Timber Systems has a reputation for research and development and having worked with the company previously we were aware of its range of innovative timber systems and experience of integrating into large or small time-pressured projects. We also had confidence in the quality of Stewart Milne Timber Systems’ work on site.
By using timber systems for part of the project, we have been able to construct houses more quickly than a traditional build while still ensuring maximum energy efficiency and quality.
Stewart Milne Timber Systems also supplies and erects the timber systems thereby further decreasing build time, construction waste, and health and safety risks on site.
