‘Green’ Westcliff – energy efficient homes

Westcliff, like all Broadway Heritage restoration developments, raises the
bar when it comes to ‘green’. Westcliff’s ‘green’ features especially
appeal to anyone relocating from larger, hard-to-heat, ageing properties
perhaps with ongoing costly repairs.

For many, ‘green’ means solar heating and wind turbines but Westcliff’s
‘listed’ status outlaws these options. So the challenge for Broadway
Heritage was to create warm, high spec, energy-efficient homes, while
retaining and enhancing the original Victorian styling.

‘Conversions’ within older buildings can suffer from neighbour noise,
draughty interiors and high fuel bills.  But Westcliff is the new
generation. Stylish and comfortable, these 21st century living spaces do
not disappoint anyone going beyond the stunning facades.

The restoration of Westcliff has necessarily been prescribed by its
‘listed’ status. Despite exemption from a number of building standards,
architects Nash Partnership, and main contractor CTS Limited, have
nonetheless gone the extra mile, with the result that the homes meet or
exceed building regulations’ requirements on every count.

‘GREEN’ FEATURES

Westcliff boasts excellent energy efficiency, offering far lower energy
consumption compared with many homes of similar dimensions and room
volumes.

Heating systems

Because flue penetrations are restricted for period listed properties,
highly efficient electronic Aztec boilers are used throughout.

Thermal insulation

Despite high ceilings and stylish open-plan layouts, Westcliff interiors
all require minimal heating.

From having no insulation at all – in either floors, walls or roof -
today, even the largest of the living spaces are warm, comfortable and
quiet thanks to the wholesale insulation of walls, ceilings, roofs and
floors.

Thermal insulation in the form of 35ml bonded plaster board is used
throughout and the roof spaces are all fully insulated to current
standards.

In spite of many elaborate cornices and plaster friezes throughout the
apartments, Broadway has been able to install discreet thermal wall and
ceiling linings such that they satisfy the Listed Building inspectors.

All the timber floors are insulated to prevent downwards heat loss, and
upward draughts are eliminated thanks to plasterboard cladding on all
joists in the basement areas. Any concrete floors at ground level have
been insulated before adding a new screed on top. All the timber panelled
doors are fitted with draught seals too, while within the sea-facing
gothic entrances the attractive storm doors have been retained and
restored.

Sash windows

Timber sash windows are in place throughout, mostly original with some
timber replacements of former metal windows and all upgraded with
double-glazed units which greatly reduce heat loss. The double-glazed
units improve the ‘u value’ from 4.8 to 1.8. The specialist joiners ‘Wood
and Wisdom’ of West Sussex have also added draught seals so rattling and
draughts are a thing of the past. ‘Intelligent’ coating on the glazed
panes prevents heat loss from the internal space, while maximising
‘insolation’ or heat from incoming sunlight.

Draught proofing/'air permeability'

We subject all our apartments at Westcliff to air permeability tests despite
there being no obligation on us as a developer to do so. We have achieved
an average score of 6 where 10 is a pass and 15 is what might be
expected from normal dwellings of this age. Building inspectors say that
Westcliff apartments rank "better than new-build"!

Acoustic insulation

Westcliff provides peaceful domestic spaces. Although not compulsory,
Broadway has had sound tests carried out by specialist acoustic
consultants Sulis Acoustics of Bristol. Westcliff passed with flying
colours, with virtually no noise transferred through building structure,
offering maximum noise protection and privacy for residents. This not only
surpasses current building regulations’ requirements, but means Westcliff
performs better than many new builds.

Travel Plan

In our bid to help deliver Westcliff as an accessible, sustainable mini-
community with  public, private and the community benefits, the
management company will assist residents with putting in place a
residential Travel Plan. Broadway will co-develop it with residents
once 75% of the homes are occupied.

The overall aim of the Westcliff Travel Plan will be to reduce car
use by encouraging alternative forms of transport and reducing the
need to travel at all.

The plan will:

- Compare the number of car trips with similar profile developments
- Promote bus use
- Set up a car sharing scheme
- Promote walking/cycling
- Evaluate CO2 emissions per car trip
- Encourage use of hybrid/alternative power vehicles

Our Travel Plan which will be included in the terms of reference of
the management company and it is hoped that residents will want
to share any Westcliff innovations with the local authority.

External spaces

In the true meaning of the word ‘green’ Broadway has restored
pleasing soft landscaping to the site with flower beds between
buildings, and imaginative evergreen planting.