Sustainability consultancy Inbuilt has scheduled a 3 June workshop for care home managers, owners and developers who want to learn about the financial, environmental and business benefits of sustainable and energy-efficient design (PDF).

The programme will focus on how new care homes can be designed to save up to 90 per cent on heating costs, while also attracting faster investment and planning permission because of their environmental credentials and delivering highly marketable, healthy and comfortable accommodation for the elderly and infirm.

“The care homes sector is starting to become very interested in the benefits of sustainability,” said Susan Schnadhorst, care homes consultant at Inbuilt. “Our workshop will show managers how they can deliver care homes with the highest levels of inclusive, adaptable design with the lowest running costs. It is also about giving them a competitive and marketing edge that will ensure future care homes exceed the industry average.”

Speaking at the workshop will be Justin Bere of bere:architects who is building the UK’s first ultra-low-energy care home, designed to Passivhaus standards, at Lound Hall, Suffolk. Andrew Eagles, managing director of Sustainable Homes, will also explain to delegates about the legislative and policy issues on the horizon which will require all new care homes and similar accommodation to be “zero carbon” by 2019.

Inbuilt associate director Sam Kimmins will talk about the practical issues of achieving genuine sustainability in the design, construction and management of care homes.

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