Inviron, the leading building services and facilities management provider, working in conjunction with main contractor, Seamans Building Contractors, has begun a prestigious project to create an eco-friendly housing development in Elmswell, Suffolk.

This is the first time that the client, Orwell Housing Association, has embarked on a fully sustainable housing development. The aim is to minimise carbon dioxide emissions both during the building and throughout the life of the properties. The scheme consists of 26 environmentally sustainable homes situated around three gardens - Meadow, Orchard and Productive.

All construction materials will be derived from sustainable, non-polluting, eco-friendly sources and include using sprayed Hemcrete® and unfired clay blocks for the boundary walls. The insulation for the project is also made from hemp.

Inviron's role in the project will be to undertake the design and build of the following:

• To design and install the heating system from a heat exchanger unit.

• A rainwater collection system that gathers water from the roof drainage system before channeling it into four underground holding tanks. It will then be filtered and distributed, via pressurised units, to header tanks located within the roof space of each property. Each tank incorporates a mains cold water top-up facility, which prevents it from emptying completely, should there be a lack of rain. The recycled water will serve toilets and external taps resulting in reduced mains water usage and costs.

• A heat recovery unit will be located within the cooker hoods of each property and supplies filtered fresh air to living rooms and bedrooms, along with extracting stale air from bathrooms and kitchens. The ventilation system has been designed to completely replace the stale air with clean filtered air, within each property, at least once every two hours, therefore, ensuring heating costs remain low.

• All the electrical works for the properties and the external lighting, including all distribution and sub-mains.

Richard Plummer, Inviron's General Manager, Eastern Division said: "We are extremely pleased to be working alongside our client Seamans in delivering this eco-friendly, sustainable and energy saving housing project. We have had to source many of the materials from different suppliers, which has resulted in a heightened awareness of sustainable products and their availability."

Alan Woods, Contracts Manager, Seamans Building Contractors commented: "Inviron's knowledge and expertise is invaluable in this type of development and their approach to the contract is always pro-active. Its site staff are first class tradesmen and are diligent in their approach to the project in ensuring that the programme is maintained."

The Housing Association hopes to receive the first Eco Homes 'Excellent' Standard for a scheme of this size in Suffolk.

Inviron began on-site in June and completion of the contract is expected in January 2008.