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Option Category - Green Design

Sustainable design options enhance the environmental performance of your modular building

Portakabin offers a range of design options to help improve the sustainable performance of your modular or portable buildings. These sustianable systems have been selected by Portakabin to offer significant environmental benefits, providing access to renewable energy sources, reduced energy consumption and lower carbon emissions.

The sustainable design options available include:

Solar thermal heating - these systems harness energy from the sun to generate heating and to provide hot water. They can reduce hot water bills by up to 50 per cent. Solar thermal technology is particularly suited to buildings that have high hot water use.

Solar photovoltaics - photovoltaic systems use solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. An installation with a peak output of 1kW can displace around 0.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year that would otherwise need to be generated by fossil fuels. These systems are generally used in parallel with the electricity grid. The photovoltaic (PV) modules can be roof-mounted or integrated into the roof or walls of your modular building.

Passive ventilation - this ventilation method offers a host of environmental as well as economic benefits by lowering energy use and preventing buildings from overheating. The system uses natural ventilation as an alternative to air conditioning, significantly reducing carbon emissions and avoiding the use of ozone-depleting substances such as refrigerants.

Combined heat and power systems - these systems simultaneously generate electricity and heat in the form of hot water or steam, and will reduce carbon emissions. The electricity is produced using an engine or turbine and the heat generated is recovered, significantly reducing energy consumption.

Ground source heat pumps - this technology uses the earth's relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling and hot water, and can result in carbon emission reductions of up to 70 per cent. The electricity is generated using an engine or turbine and the heat generated is recovered, significantly reducing energy consumption.

Wind power - turbines can be used to generate electricity in parallel with mains supplies or for stand-alone applications, significantly reducing carbon emissions. Wind power is recognised as one of the most cost-effective renewable energy technologies. Systems for smaller buildings typically have peak outputs of up to 6kW, reducing carbon emissions by more than four tonnes per annum.

Green roofs - a turf or sedum roof has a number of sustainable benefits, such as providing high levels of thermal insulation and improving air quality. These roofs have additional environmental benefits, including encouraging a habitat for wildlife and helping a building to blend in with rural surroundings.

Biomass boilers - using biomass energy can reduce CO2 emissions released in the combustion process by 90 per cent compared to energy generated from fossil fuels. These carbon-neutral heating systems are an economically viable solution for a variety of applications, such as schools and offices. Typical fuel is straw or wood chips - a by-product of the timber industry.

Modular construction - the sustainable choice

Find out more about the sustainable benefits of choosing modular or portable buildings from Portakabin.

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