“It’s win, win, win!' says Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change after visiting Leeds very own pioneering low carbon development, Greenhouse to hear about using renewable technologies to help reduce fuel bills.

As a leading Leeds business part of the regional green economy, sustainable developers Citu hosted the Secretary of State team, leading a discussion on transitioning towards a low carbon society. 

The Secretary of State visited the award-winning development as part of his activities for ‘Big Energy Week’. looking at how people can cut their fuel bills and become more energy efficient as part of a lower carbon future. 

They visited Greenhouse to see how the UK’s most pioneering low carbon development helps residents save up to 60% on energy bills thanks to the renewable technologies at work and the sustainable building methods used, and also chatted to residents and office workers about how Greenhouse encourages low carbon living as an overall approach. 

After a behind the scenes tour with Citu’s Development Manager, Karen Stafeckis and Citu MD, Chris Thompson, covering sustainable construction and low carbon materials, on-site renewable energy, and energy tracking in apartments through the TV energy monitoring system, The Secretary of State discussed with the team the impact of their activity within the regional economy, and how Greenhouse fits with CO2 reduction targets. 

He said:” This really is a great project. It shows just how we can build an attractive space for people to live in, making the best use of technologies available, to contribute to low carbon living. It really is an enormous step forward.” 

“I see developments like Greenhouse as win, win, win.  It reduces energy bills for residents, it brings life to an old building through regeneration, and it’s great for the country on the whole”. 

“It’s important we give consumers more power to get to grips with energy bills and I am very impressed with how this development does this. The IPTVs that monitor each apartment’s energy usage is are very clever indeed, and the combined approach of the whole building means up to 60% reduced bills. The best way to save bills on energy is not to use it in the first place – this has been really well thought out”. 

The behind the scenes tour explained how 1930s Shaftesbury House was transformed, giving the group the opportunity to see how rain water flushes loos, solar panels heat water and wind turbines generate energy to make cups of tea. 

They also heard how rainwater harvesting at Greenhouse has saved over 1.5 olympic swimming pools of water and the solar panels have heated over 27,000 showers. Each apartment has saved over 1ton of CO2 – the equivalent of 1000 bags of sugar. 

Chris Thompson, Managing Director at Citu said: “We were delighted to welcome the Secretary of State team as we are really proud of what we have achieved at Greenhouse.  We are always very proud to illustrate how creating a sustainable building is about so much more than the bricks and mortar. It was great for the team to meet the residents to see how behavioural change also has a huge impact on our low carbon emissions”. 

Greenhouse has 166 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments, 13,000 sqft of office space, Greenspace – the Yorkshire’s greenest conferencing and events centre and an on-site Apart-Hotel. For more information about living, working or staying at Greenhouse visit www.greenhouseleeds.co.uk 

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