Will this be the world’s most sustainable tower?

Will this be the world's most sustainable tower?

Lumiere Developments is launching The Beacon – which they believe will be the world’s most sustainable residential tower. Due to its innovative energy conservation technologies and smart design, The Beacon will, they suggest, save residents up to £11,000 a year in living expenses. Located in Hemel Hempstead, just 24 minutes from London Euston, the 17-storey tower will generate sufficient heat and power from on-site renewable energy to power the vast majority of the building’s requirements.

 

The building will generate enough power to allow  the developer to offer ‘Free Energy For Life’ to residents. Showcasing a combination of ground-breaking green features not present in any other residential development in the world, this project is the first of its kind. A rated energy neutral building, key features include;

  • The highest density solar farm in the world (0.8mw on <0.5 acres) Solar photovoltaic panels – embedded into the solar balustrades at each floor level
  • Triple-glazing – to all apartments
  • Quadruple-glazing – to upper level apartments
  • Ground Source Heat Pumps – to extract heat from the basement of the building to heat the hot water 
  • Air Source Heat Pumps to extract heat from the atrium
  • 100% rainwater harvesting (collected at roof and balcony levels) for toilet flushing and irrigation of the green planters on each external balcony and internal arboretum
  • MHVR – Mechanical Heat and Ventilation Recovery System – for comfort cooling
  • Thermal emissivity of less than 0.2W/M2K
  • UK’s tallest residential indoor arboretum
  • UK’s largest underground automated robotic car park (supplied by Skyline Parking) – 319 car park spaces underground in less than half an acre

 

Alongside its sustainable features, The Beacon also offers residents an unmatched living experience, providing world-class amenities and services that create a community and lifestyle not currently in existence elsewhere in the local property market.

 

Each apartment is accessed from the central atrium via scenic glass lifts overlooking the arboretum. Impressive 2.4m high apartment front doors open onto elegant wood-floored hallways and open-plan living areas featuring ceramic tiled floors and walls. Living spaces open on to private balconies through full height patio doors and windows to create a light infused living environment.

 

Kitchens come fully fitted with German manufactured fittings from Hacker, with a full suite of integrated energy efficient A+++ rated appliances. Other interior features include smart-controlled thermostats, comfort cooling systems and automated blinds whilst premium Skyline apartments on the 13th floor feature impressive terraces with winter gardens and electro-glass for added privacy.

 

The ground floor will be the main hub for residents featuring the internal arboretum alongside a café and bar area, water features, club lounge and cinema room and external patio space. On the first floor will be a 2,120 sq.ft. gymnasium, fitted with the latest fitness equipment, whilst a communal roof sky garden will provide an outdoor residents ‘library’ decked area and observatory at the top of the building.

 

Home owners will also benefit from an in-house electric car and electric bike share scheme (the first of its kind at a residential development in the UK), 24-hour security and concierge service, as well as on-site waste compaction and recycling facilities.

 

Residents with cars will have access to the UK’s largest automated underground car parking system, providing 319 secure spaces and operated and managed by Swiss-funded Skyline Parking – Skyline Automated Parking Systems are European leaders in Performance and Reliability. Cutting C2 emissions by 80% compared to a standard car park, the automated system uses mechanical technology to reduce the average parking time by 50% and car insurance by up to 20%.

 

As a result of The Beacon’s groundbreaking renewable technologies, buyers will benefit from annual savings of up to £11,000 per year. The building’s energy-generating and water retention capabilities mean household bills will be vastly reduced, whilst typical monthly costs such as gym membership, contents and building insurance are all covered and heavily discounted, within the annual management fee (approx. £1,580 per annum for a typical apartment). Lumiere Developments is also contributing towards purchasers’ conveyancing and valuation fees, as well as moving costs for pre-launch sales.

 

Ambi Singh, Commercial Director of Lumiere Developments, comments: “The Beacon is the result of a number of years of extremely hard work by everyone at Lumiere and our partners in the design and planning, to deliver the world’s most sustainable residential tower. Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do and we wanted to marry emission free renewable technologies with simple yet effective energy conservation strategies to create a zero emission development that is truly world class in its architectural design, engineering and specification.

 

“We want residents to feel like they are part of a community and to truly enjoy their living environment. At the same time we want apartments to be as cost effective as possible whilst ensuring a positive environmental impact on their locality.

 

“Buildings are responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s harmful emissions and the World Health Organisation quotes air pollution as the number one risk to human health responsible for 7 million premature deaths worldwide. Hence, it is our mission to promote large-scale uptake of emission-free renewable energy generation and simple energy conservation technologies within residential new-builds and old stock to significantly reduce emissions and by default help save lives. Using The Beacon as a blueprint for zero-carbon residential development, we will be rolling out this unique mixture of sustainable technology and building practice across our future projects and ultimately hope that we inspire other developers to build significantly more high-quality sustainable homes across the property spectrum from affordable to luxury.”

 

 

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