Project highlights:

• With LPG boilers being the same size as mains gas boilers, no modification to standard house designs was needed
• Homeowners can still benefit from all the comfort and convenience of gas, despite the development’s off-grid location
• Tanks are hidden underground to preserve the beautiful rural setting

“The benefits and sheer simplicity of building with LPG mean it is a far more cost-effective and hassle-free option than either ASHP or oil heating.”

             Eric Wardlaw, Senior Architectural Technologist, Muir Homes

Leading Scottish housebuilder Muir Homes has opted for LPG from Calor to provide central heating and hot water for 79 new-build homes at its Strathord Park development in the former mill town of Stanley in Perthshire, Scotland.

Proven technology

Like most housebuilders, Muir Homes, which is one of Scotland’s largest privately-owned housebuilding companies, uses mains gas for the majority of its sites but Strathord Park’s rural location meant this was not an option. Keen to give its homebuyers the convenience and familiarity of gas, Muir Homes opted for LPG from Calor as the best off-grid energy supply.

“We did consider using air source heat pumps for this development but concluded that there is too much uncertainty over its long-term performance and suitability in Scotland due to our wet climate and cold winters,” explains Eric Wardlaw, Senior Architectural Technologist for Muir Homes. “As a major housebuilder delivering quality homes to a high specification, we can’t take a risk on a technology without a proven track record of being both reliable and affordable for our purchasers. Calor gives us that assurance.”

The new homes, which include twenty plots of affordable housing, combine spacious layouts, eye-catching design elements, a high-quality specification and attractive outdoor areas to create generously-sized family homes. The development is being crafted using the latest building techniques and materials to deliver a mix of attractive and sustainable housing. Housing types range from two-bedroomed mid-terraced homes to four-bedroomed detached houses.

All incorporate energy-efficient features including gas central heating, photovoltaic panels, double-glazing and high levels of insulation to reduce their impact on the environment and give buyers lower fuel bills. Muir Homes takes a ‘Fabric First’ approach to home construction, doing its utmost to ensure the very fabric of the building contributes to saving homeowners money. This involves ensuring the new homes are insulated and airtight, reducing their energy demands and cutting energy bills.

Unobtrusive storage

Aesthetics are a crucial consideration for the development’s saleability so Calor has installed six 4,000 litre LPG tanks below ground to maintain the attractive appearance of Strathord Park. Gas is distributed through a network of hidden pipes directly to each home, which each have individual meters that are read annually by Calor. This allows homeowners to be invoiced for their household consumption, which means that on completion of the development Muir Homes will not need to be involved with its energy supply on an ongoing basis.

Cost-effective construction

LPG combination boilers are the same size and have the same output and flue clearance as mains gas boilers, so Muir Homes did not need to modify its standard house designs - a big plus. “Working to a standard housing layout, built around a mains gas boiler, means any deviation from this is both costly and time-consuming,” explains Eric Wardlaw. “Having to redesign the house layout to accommodate a cylinder cupboard and subsequent hot water storage on a small two or three-bedroomed property is a real headache for a housebuilder and one of the major disadvantages of air source heat pumps (ASHP). This meant it was a logical choice to choose LPG heating for the site and stick with the combi boiler option on the smaller properties.”

Unqualified endorsement

Eric Wardlaw concludes, “I would definitely recommend other housebuilders consider LPG from Calor for off-grid sites. Our experience has been extremely positive and the benefits and sheer simplicity of building with LPG mean it is a far more cost-effective and hassle-free option than either ASHP or oil heating.”