Green living in the big city – Horizon London showcases sustainable building
- 16% of people would withdraw an offer on a property with a low energy efficiency rating (Populus)
- Climate change key cause of conflict in Syria (Prince Charles)
- Horizon London showcasing sustainable city living (Surrenden Invest)
Green living is becoming increasingly important to homebuyers. In a recent survey by Populus, 16% of respondents said that a low energy efficiency rating would be sufficient for them to withdraw their offer on a property. A further 23% said that poor energy efficiency would lead them to reduce their offer by hundreds of pounds, while 36% would reduce it by thousands.
It is a message that has not been lost on the UK. From the government’s solar panels initiative to the academics at De Montfort University who are trialling a revolutionary eco heating system, which essentially stores heat in the garden soil during the summer for use during the winter, the housing market is buzzing with new ways to make the residential accommodation leaner and greener.
But it’s not just country piles with huge gardens that can take advantage of innovative modern solutions to saving energy. A new building – Horizon London – is showcasing sustainable living in the big city. Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of London-based property consultancy Surrenden Invest, explains,
“Horizon London is, quite simply, the building of the future when it comes to city life. Every element of the building has been carefully planned with sustainability in mind. This isn’t just a token nod to greener living, but a fully-fledged commitment to creating the kind of apartments that people can be proud to own due to their sustainable credentials.”
Located in Ilford, just a few minutes’ walk from Seven Kings station and 10-12 minutes’ walk from Ilford Station, Horizon London offers sustainable living for a sustainable community. The building’s ‘living’ walls not only create a stunning visual effect, but offer a range of benefits. According to Green Over Grey, living walls improve air quality, provide buildings with a shield from sun, rain and thermal fluctuations, reduce stress, enhance wellbeing and dampen noise pollution. They also enhance a property’s value by being in tune with future demand.
Horizon London also features photovoltaic cells on the upper levels, rainwater harvesting and a centralised heating system. These features work in tandem with the building’s smart design to ensure that fewer resources are used when compared with similar buildings that have not incorporated sustainability into their design. Essentially, Horizon London consumes less energy and less heat escapes the building.
As well as enticing investors looking for a modern, socially responsible way into the UK’s booming buy-to-let market, Horizon London’s green features are also appealing to tenants. The living walls create a beautiful backdrop to daily life, while the fact that less heat escapes the building means that resident’s energy bills are reduced.
“What we’re seeing at Horizon London is seriously sophisticated sustainable design coming to life,” continues Surrenden Invest’s Jonathan Stephens. “Each element of the building has been designed to work in harmony with the others. It’s about taking a holistic approach to sustainability and creating something that is superior to the sum of its parts, even when each of those component parts is already an excellent feature. Investors have been absolutely delighted with the result.”
The impact of climate change is still poorly understood around the world, but there is a growing body of evidence to show that its impact is not just a threat to the future, but a very real force behind global unrest today. A study by the University of California found that greenhouse gas emissions exacerbated the drought in Syria from 2006-2010. The drought led to mass movement of people from the country to the cities, even as food stocks dwindled and prices rose. Though there were other factors contributing to the conflict there, the role that climate change played is not to be underestimated according to sources as diverse as Prince Charles and political activist Charlotte Church.
It can be hard to recognise the full impact of buying into a sustainable future today, but it is actually possible to demonstrate a chain of events that starts with buildings like Horizon London and ends with fewer lives being lost around the world. Now that’s a truly sustainable commitment to a better world.
Prices at Horizon London range from £233,000 to £515,000.
For further details, visit www.surrendeninvest.com, email info@surrendeninvest.com or call 0203 3726 499.