York Passivhaus projects complete

Two housing projects targeting Passivhaus certification are now completed for the City of York Council, totalling 112 homes. The council worked with an interciplinary team, including PHT member Mikhail Riches architects and Passivhaus consultant PHT Patron WARM, to deliver the Duncombe Square and Burnholme Green projects.

Duncombe Square. Image credit: City of York Council

Duncombe Square

No. of homes: 34 & 1 commecial unit

Project stage: Completed

Build start date: 2022

Completion: 2025

Certification: Targeting Passivhaus

Duncombe Square. Image credit: City of York Council

Burnholme Green

No. of homes: 78

Project stage: Completed

Build start date: 2022

Completion: 2026

Certification: Targeting Passivhaus

Burnholme Green. Image credit: City of York Council

Design principles

The homes are all aiming to be certified Passivhaus. Heating is provided by air source heat pumps and an array of solar PV panels on the roof will ensure the homes are effectively net zero carbon in terms of energy usage. The embodied energy of the construction materials (the energy consumed in their extraction, production and transport) will also be closely monitored, as well as the homes’ energy consumption. Other features of the design include reduced car parking provision and car free play streets.

Off-site timber frame construction is the chosen construction method, with brick and roughcast render and complementary timber cladding.

Passivhaus is like base camp when you’re trying to climb the Everest of zero carbon. We’re planning to go above and beyond, taking into account much more than just the efficient fabric of the houses.

David Mikhail, Architect, Mikhail Riches

High density terraces

Burnholme Passivhaus development, York - birds eye view. Image credit Mikhail Riches

Duncombe Barracks Passivhaus development, York - birds eye view. Image credit Mikhail Riches

The schemes have been designed in low-rise high density terraces, of approximately 50 homes/hectare, to take advantage of the good form factor provided by terraced housing. By building the terraces close together the design team aims to maximise use of the land available as well as creating a close-knit feeling of community. Careful modelling is needed to ensure that the minimal separation between the houses will allow just enough solar gain with the low winter sun to be acceptable for the Passivhaus standard while maximising the number of homes in the plot.

Funding model

The City of York Council has worked with Homes England who are keen to support their zero carbon approach. This has helped the council unlock extra Affordable Homes Programme grant funding. The scheme is funded through a mix of Right to Buy receipts, Homes England funding and market sales.

A minimum of 40% of the programme's homes are available either for social rent or shared ownership, significantly above what local planning guidelines currently require. The rest will be up for market sale, with market sales used to subsidise the cost of the social rent and shared ownership affordable homes,

Delivery team

Council officers carefully recruited a multi-disciplinary design team that would work on the scheme for at least five years. PHT members Mikhail Riches, architects of the award-winning Norwich Goldsmith Street project. have led the project,

The programme was supported by RICS-accredited project managers driving on-site quality. A RICS-accredited clerk of works will play a key role in championing quality across the sites and RICS-accredited valuers are being utilised to provide confidence in sales projections to support the business case development.