A revolutionary residential tower being built in Hemel Hempstead offers sustainable and affordable luxury living – without any energy bills.

Prices range from £218,000 for a starter home to £1 million for a penthouse in the 17-storey tower, which will have 272 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom balconied apartments and penthouses.

Touted as the “world’s most sustainable development” by Lumiere Developments, the eco-credentials of tower, which is due to be completed in 2018, are not only impressive but promise to offer buyers free energy for life.

Electricity will be generated by embedded solar panels at each floor level, making it the highest density solar farm in the world; hot water will be provided by ground source heat pumps and rainwater will be harvested for toilet flushing as well as irrigation of the UK’s tallest indoor arboretum, which will keep the internal air fresh.

The apartments are triple- or quadruple-glazed and hot water is provided by ground source heat pumps which extract heat from the basement of the building, while air source heat pumps extract heat from the atrium.

“Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do,” says Ambi Singh, commercial director of Lumiere Developments. “It’s not about climate change alone – it’s about human life. I don’t have to be a tree hugger, I don’t have to make the choice between luxury and sustainability.”

There will be an internal arboretum, café, bar, club lounge and cinema room, plus a gym for which membership is included within the annual management fee.

There’ll also be a communal roof sky garden, as well as electric car and electric bike hire schemes for residents.

The tower will be bordered by 400 acres of green belt land, and Hemel Hampstead station, with direct links to Euston within 24 minutes, is within walking distance .

Further information on the development’s sustainability plans are set out at thebeacondevelopment.co.uk