AN AIRTIGHT home of the future, the first of its kind in Europe, will be unveiled at Kings Hill, near West Malling, this Friday. The Super E house, designed in Canada, has been built by Sunley Homes as an experiment in its new Lacuna housing estate.

The timber-framed building was put up in just over a week and is designed to be without draughts, heat loss or moisture problems. Air is pumped around the home to keep it fresh and clean.

Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council planning officer, Ian Collins, said: "Sunleys built a close of seven homes and we agreed they could build one of these Super E houses in the middle. It has the same design as the other houses and it costs the same to build - but it is much more efficient.

"The main structure of the house with the roof on only took eight days to build because it comes in a kit," he said. "It may cost a little more than a traditional home to buy - but it is a much higher quality house and it is a lot cheaper to run."

The Super E house was launched in 1998 by the Canadian Government's Natural Resources department and was designed to be exported to Japan. Europe's first Super E will be opened by Tonbridge and Malling Mayor Cllr Joyce Oxley.

Mr Collins said: "The government has been trying to encourage more ecologically friendly units and low cost recyclable materials - so if this is successful there may be more of these houses built at Kings Hill."