Future-ready living at Hare’s Leap in Somerset

Hare’s Leap is an exclusive Autograph Homes development of just nine three, four, and five-bedroom family homes in the historic village of East Brent, near Brent Knoll, in the heart of the Somerset Moors. Each high-spec home has been built to exceptional environmental standards, achieving net zero energy consumption and costs, through utilizing the latest smart energy-saving technologies – including Daikin’s air source heat pumps, making sustainability a part of everyday life.

The vision behind Hare’s Leap was clear from the outset, as Autograph’s Ian Drew, Land Planning & Technical Director, explains: “Every home at Hare’s Leap was designed to be net zero as standard. We wanted to create properties that don’t just look beautiful but deliver genuine performance – homes that are future-ready, energy-efficient and affordable to live in from day one.”

Heat pumps, PV panels and storage batteries

Each property at Hare’s Leap combines a high-performance building fabric with renewable energy generation, underfloor heating and state-of-the-art heating technology. Buyers can also choose to upgrade to Octopus Energy’s Zero Bills package, by adding an electricity storage battery, which offers five years of completely free energy. “Our base specification already includes Daikin air source heat pumps, PV panels and very high insulation levels,” Ian explains. “When customers add a battery, Octopus Energy manages the property remotely. The system harvests solar energy, stores it and ensures the home produces more than it uses. It’s a compelling proposition.”

Sustainability and value working hand in hand

The energy efficiency inherent at Hare’s Leap doubles up as a win-win, in terms of establishing long-term sustainability that aids a greener future for all, and a very personal need to economise on costs in the lingering ‘cost of living crisis’. The holistic approach to smart energy design is reflected in every detail of the build. “Buyers today are much more aware of energy efficiency,” Ian continues. “They’re looking for homes that align with their values. At Hare’s Leap, they’re getting that – homes that are comfortable, contemporary and built with real environmental intent – and of course, are incredibly cost-effective.” 

Daikin technology at the heart of every home

When it came to selecting the right heating solution, Daikin was the natural choice. “Octopus has a list of recognised technology partners, and Daikin was already one of them.” 

Fingertip connectivity

With the Daikin system at Hare’s Leap, internet connectivity allows homeowners to monitor and control their home comfort systems remotely through intuitive mobile apps, adjusting temperature, zones, and schedules from anywhere. Time scheduling and energy consumption tracking, is also supported, presenting usage data through clear, easy-to-read graphs so homeowners can better understand and optimise efficiency. This level of connectivity enhances everyday living by putting comfort, visibility, and efficiency directly at the user’s fingertips.

Expert installation from Cook & Harris

The installation for Autograph, initially in the showroom house but then right across the development, was handled by Cook & Harris, a company with more than 40 years’ experience in plumbing and heating. Founded by Mike Harris and Steve Cook, the business has grown to become a trusted specialist across domestic, commercial and industrial projects. Based in Bristol, the company is known for its quality workmanship and forward-thinking approach to renewable heating.

Cook & Harris Contracts Manager Jack Phillimore oversaw the project on site, managing installation across all nine homes. “We do a lot of new-build developments, but this was our first site installing Daikin products,” Jack explains. “Everything went smoothly. The plans were clear, communication was great, and Daikin’s support made the entire process very straightforward from start to finish.”

Each installation was completed in two phases: first fix, where all the pipework is installed before plaster boarding, and second fix once the interiors were ready for the heat pumps, cylinders and controls. “The first fix takes around four or five days per plot,” Jack says. “Then we return to complete the system. Because Daikin’s design package is so detailed, everything goes in exactly as planned. The integration is excellent – downstairs underfloor, upstairs radiators, two zones and app-based control. It’s simple for the user but technically advanced.”

Daikin support ensures peace of mind

To ensure every system delivered peak efficiency, Daikin engineers personally commissioned each unit on site. “Normally we’d do the commissioning ourselves,” Jack says, “but having Daikin handle it gives the client extra confidence and extends the warranty. It guarantees that everything’s set up exactly to their specifications and that the system is working at its best from day one.”

Ian agrees that Daikin’s technical partnership made a real difference. “The service from Daikin has been excellent,” he says. “Tracy Bodman from Daikin’s sales team has been incredibly helpful, and the design and technical teams have been fantastic. They attended the site to help commission the first units and made sure everything was running smoothly. It’s been a first-class service throughout.”