Miller Zero voted best low carbon initiative

Miller Zero, the ground-breakding zero carbon project by Miller Homes, has won the Best Low or Zero Carbon Initiative at the Housebuilding Innovation Awards 2009.

The Miller Zero project, including the first zero carbon homes built by a volume housebuilder on a live site, beat off stiff competition from Crest Nicholson, PRP Architects and Stewart Milne Group to claim the award, which recognises outstanding projects that champion sustainable building and low or zero carbon living.

Miller Zero, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, comprises five, four bedroom homes, built to varying levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes, in order to showcase sustainable construction techniques and technologies which can help save water, energy and heat. The homes are constructed using the latest construction materials and are equipped with state of the art technologies, including ground source heat pumps, solar panels, rainwater harvesting equipment and biomass boilers.

In their remarks on the winning project the judges commented: "The housebuilder’s meticulous but innovative approach to each Code level, not forgetting the fact it has built homes that look habitable not experimental, make Miller the undisputed winner in this category."

The judges continued: "Miller Zero impressed the judges because it was an initiative actually underway on site which allowed the comparison to be made between the standards required from the various levels of the Code. The judges also admired Miller’s openness about the whole experience of building the homes."

Sue Warwick, national sales and marketing director for Miller Homes, commented: "The challenge at Miller Zero was not just to create homes which conform to various levels of the Code, but also to construct homes which people will actually want to live in. This award is confirmation that it is possible to build a family home whilst at the same time making tremendous strides towards the goal of zero carbon living."