Zero-carbon barns aim for Level 5 and 6

Developer and zero-carbon house designer David Hill is currently working on the first Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 and 6 barn conversions attempted in the UK.

The codes are not compulsory for new builds until 2016.

Itho Ventilation, part of Dutch company Itho BV, assisted Hill in meeting the ventilation requirements set by Part F and Part L of the Building Regulations for England and Wales.

Itho B.V. has a long reputation for manufacturing and supplying reliable and efficient ventilation systems since 1919, when it introduced the idea of a heat recovery unit.

Hill installed the firm's SAP Q eligible HRU ECO 4, an MVHR unit that offers an unbeatable combination of heat recovery efficiency and specific fan power.

Allowing for contaminants to be efficiently extracted, the dwelling is able to retain around 90% of its heat reserves through the in-built heat exchanger and remain largely unaffected by the unit’s extraction process unlike in the case of traditional extract fans.

Hill said: “Since installing the HRU ECO 4 units within the first of the three barn conversions we are looking forward to the new owner getting the full benefit of the minimal running costs, healthy living environment and easy to understand controls.”