New eco home unveiled by First Minister
Tuesday 18 March 2014
PEMBROKESHIRE Coast National Park Authority is well known for and has been recognised for its work with and promotion of renewable energy over the years.
Its recent decision to give a substantial grant to a company creating “greener” manufacturing is the latest move in its drive to improve the environmental make-up of the county.
A meeting of the Sustainable Development Fund Committee agreed to award a grant of £31,005 to Thomas Joinery in Brynberian, half of its project costs for a passive window and door manufacturing area.
Thomas Joinery, which has worked on the Ty Solar project at Rhosygilwen, aims to grow its business sustainability by increasing manufacturing capability, reducing energy consumption and costs.
It also wants to provide employment and training opportunities as well as continuing to manufacture and supply high-quality sustainable products.
Ty Solar is a low-cost, timber-clad home which not only generates its own solar energy but is also capable of producing excess energy revenues of up to £1,000 a year. The prototype has been built by Pembrokeshire-based company Western Solar Ltd, which aims to manufacture 12 next year, with each reaching at least level four of the Sustainability Code.
Passive windows and doors are highly insulated and significantly improve the energy efficiency of a building.
Thomas Joinery designed its range of doors of windows and they have been licensed by the German Passive Haus Institute. It is the only manufacturer of the high-specification timber items in the UK. The range has been manufactured in Pembrokeshire for the last two years.
The grant will go some way to enabling the company to update and improve its existing premises and processes by extending the workshop area, including the spray shop and providing timber and briquette stock storage capacity and modernising the spray shop facility to increase volume and efficiency.
Greener energy solutions, such as LED lighting, will also be put in place.
Other projects considered for grants were Grub, a food experience with a difference at Dr Sarah Beynon’s Bug Farm; and the funding of a Theatr Gwaun/Newport Memorial Hall collaboration project manager.
Article courtesy of Western Telegraph