CHILDREN got a glimpse of the future of green homes when they visited a new energy-efficient social housing development near their school in Thetford .

CHILDREN got a glimpse of the future of green homes when they visited a new energy-efficient social housing development near their school in Thetford .

Around 25 Year 3 pupils from Redcastle Furze Primary School were last week given a tour of Suffolk Housing Society's newest buildings at Saxon Bank, off Jubilee Close.

The homes are all insulated with special panels to reduce energy loss, fitted with triple-glazing and designed with large glass windows on all south-facing walls to harness the heat of the sun.

Hot air from bathrooms and kitchens is also redirected to the rest of the house by under-floor pipes to reduce heating costs, and sustainable materials have been used wherever possible to minimise their carbon footprint.

The �2 million development includes 15 one, two and three bedroom homes and borders the school's playing field.

Emma Denty, a teacher at the school, arranged the visit as part of a project looking at local buildings.

“As Jubilee Close is next to the school, the pupils have been watching with interest as the new buildings have grown over the past months,” she said.

“We'll be looking at how the design of the homes at Saxon Bank differs from some of the town's older buildings, as well as their geography, the construction methods involved and their environmental impact.”

Work has been mostly funded by Suffolk Housing Society, but a �640,000 grant from the Homes and Communities Agency was also awarded.

Once work is completed later this year the properties will be offered to people on Breckland Council's housing register on a rental or shared ownership basis.

Suffolk Housing Society provides and manages over 1,900 homes for people across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex and Norfolk.