June 10, 2015 11.55 am This story is over 105 months old

Take a tour: Inside the Lincoln eco homes that cost £1 a day

Eco Homes: Take a sneak peek at the new eco homes that are available near Lincoln.

Some 18 environmentally-friendly homes are now available to buy on land at the Lincolnshire Showground in Lincoln, with an estimated running cost of £1 per day.

As previously reported, The Edge, which has been developed by Gusto Group has been constructed to the highest standard of sustainability.

The construction company has worked in partnership with Lincolnshire Agricultural Society and West Lindsey District Council in a bid to create something that can be promoted to the rest of the construction industry.

The homes are in a secluded area off Tillbridge Lane. All are 3 or 4 bedrooms, and those currently priced with agents Hodgson Elkington cost between £325,000 and £389,000.

Each home has a minimum of two car parking spaces. They all look over a private lake and, once construction is complete, will share communal tennis courts.

Solar panels that double as the conservatory roof provide most of the power for the homes and the properties are constructed in way that means there is no requirement for central heating.

Each room has an infra-red panel which produces heat like rays from the sun, which is then reflected off the surfaces and warms the room.

The water system has also been designed to be eco-friendly using pipes that drain water used in the shower to help heat fresh water. There is also a system that collects rainwater from underground, which is then used to flush the toilets.

Some five of the 18 eco homes have been sold already and Gusto Group will be continuing to develop the area, with planning starting soon on another 10 homes to the side of the current development.

Steff Wright, CEO at Gusto Group said: “The point of the development wasn’t just about building 18 houses to sell. Part of the reason that we got the planning permission was to be able to promote it to a wider audience because there are new standards that are coming into house building.

“As of next year all houses are to be build to a zero carbon standard and the government, as of yet, hasn’t decided what that standard is.”

Gusto Group have worked closely with many of the local suppliers around the county to furnish the showhome and also use local products to build the homes which are expected to make the owner money on electricity.

Steff continued: “We are confident that these homes will cost less than £1 a day and less than £300 a year to run because the house is super insulated. It works like a big storage heater and retains the heat.

“It doesn’t need a lot of power for the lights and it generates the majority of its own electricity, which it diverts to heat the water. You get a Feedin tariff as well, which is about £500 at the moment.”