1. MONITORING & EVALUATION PROJECT
This concept underpins the whole Ecopark scheme. It is the act of testing the housing on a number of levels to ensure that we have met our targets.

The Outputs for this sub-project are:

• Dutch Green Financing Report: setting out the criteria for Green Financing and evaluation techniques. Click here to download the report.
• Financial Analysis: Breakdown of all contract costs associated with Ecopark and highlighting comparative costs with non-eco features. Click here to download the report.
• Energy Consumption Report: Evaluation and interpretation of complex technical data collected over a 12 month period to monitor houw the houses are performing. Click here to download the report.
• Tenant Feedback Report: Review of tenants' feedback and perceptions 18 months after moving into their homes following the 'Toolkit for residents living in innovative housing' developed by BRE and Sustainable Homes. Click here to download the report.

2. DISSEMINATION PROJECT
GHA actively involved tenants and occupiers in the understanding and perpetuation of the sustainable principles and features. This also worked to bring them to the attention of the wider community of which the neighbourhood will form part, in turn assisting in the development of a sustainable community, in an area experiencing rapid change.

Tenants were involved in a series of briefing and learning events in order to maximise the features incorporated at Ecopark. Although difficult to organise in every case, we know that where participation in selection of decoration and other fixtures has been a feature of other social housing schemes, it has shown itself to be an investment worth making. The central purpose here of course is to engender an improved awareness and understanding of sustainability issues, in the expectation that they will become part of everyday living.

As part of wider community development activity, a programme of educational involvement is to be initiated with local schools, to promote an understanding and acceptance of the principles of sustainability. A Visitor's Centre was designed on the site to act as a reception centre. Accomodating a continuous display of sustainable elements of the design and construction of the housing, it is adjacent to the Naked House, showing cutaway views of the construction techniques used and materials chosen.

The Outputs for this sub-project are:

• Conferences and Seminars, targeted specifically at RSL audiences. Click on the News page or email us to pre register for this event!
• Co-ordination with other projects and agencies. Visit our links page!
• Initiation of dissemination activity, including a web site. You're here!
• Press releases and articles in newspapers and trade magazines. Check out our news page or email us to request to be put on mailing list for press releases!
• TV & Radio Coverage. Check out our news page.

DUTCH GREEN FINANCING - AN OVERVIEW
In the Netherlands a 'Green Financing' system has been developed by the Dutch Government that provides favourable loan finance when certain sustainable standards are reached. The Ecopark project meets all the compulsory measures for Green Financing.

Such arrangements are not available in the UK since they rely on fiscal measures by which the Dutch Government provides taxation benefits to those who achieve the required environmental and sustainable standards.

Leading European Consultants DHV AIB (NL) were appointed by Gallions HA to evaluate the scheme against the Green Financing criteria. In order to retain their continuous involvement through the construction and into the post-completion evaluation period, a Housing Corporation Innovation and Good Practice Grant was secured to part-fund the appointment, to enable the findings to be produced for UK social housing audiences.

Attached here are copies of the DGFM Assessment and also our BRE EcoHomes Assessment, one of our goals was to compare and contrast the two assessment methods for similarities and differences.