Mallard Homes and Wondrwall have completed the first eco-friendly property at its Hardwick Court scheme near Sedgefield, Durham.
The home features an innovative home energy management system along with clean energy generation and storage, and is aiming to deliver a new standard for homes that are both more affordable to buy and significantly cheaper to run.
The development is a collection of 13 luxury family properties delivered by sustainable housebuilder Mallard Homes, in partnership with energy technology company, Wondrwall. Located off Front Street in Fishburn, the homes are built to the highest quality standards and include a cutting-edge, self-learning energy management system that reduces carbon emissions and maximises efficiency with minimal user input. The project owner is the Dutch property firm Ciconia Group, which specialises in the UK housing market.
Each home is equipped with smart lighting, security, heating and energy controls – all managed through a single app. Amazon Alexa integration throughout the home ensures residents can benefit from full voice control and digital assistance, while the system adapts to routines, such as adjusting heating levels based on room occupancy or when residents leave or return home.
The homes generate and store their own clean energy, which can be used on demand or sold back to the grid during periods of high energy prices for greater financial benefit. In a UK first, each home comes equipped with solar PV, battery storage and EV charging provided at no upfront cost to the homeowner via PowrPlan, a residential power purchase agreement that guarantees 20 years of low-cost, clean energy to the homeowners at Hardwick Court.
Rather than buying the technology outright, homeowners pay a fixed-cost standing charge for the clean energy generated, which works out to be significantly less than typical utility rates and guaranteed to be lower than the energy savings delivered by the system. The agreement also includes all ongoing maintenance and battery replacement after 10 years, protecting homeowners from any future retrofit or replacement costs.
Paul Heap, managing director of Mallard Homes, commented: “These luxury homes are built with modern living in mind, with a high-specification finish and home office space, set in a beautifully landscaped site. We are very excited to partner with Wondrwall to offer their groundbreaking energy system that will benefit homeowners and the planet. This development fits within our core purpose of creating highly sustainable homes with a low carbon footprint and lower energy bills, designed, located and affordable for everyday regular families.”
Daniel Burton, CEO of Wondrwall Group, added: “Hardwick Court marks a major milestone in making intelligent, low-carbon living accessible to everyone, not just the few. For the first time in the UK, homeowners can move into a property that comes fully equipped with the latest clean energy technology, without paying a premium. By combining intelligent energy generation and storage with zero upfront cost, we’re proving that sustainable living can be both desirable and affordable. Our partnership with Mallard Homes shows how we can accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero.”
Job Gutteling, CEO of Ciconia Group: “As the project nears completion, we’re incredibly grateful and proud of what we’ve achieved. This development reflects our commitment to building high-quality, energy-efficient homes that contribute positively to local communities. It’s a privilege to play a role in addressing housing demand in the UK, and we look forward to seeing these homes welcome their first residents soon.”
