True North: Passivhaus progress in Greater Manchester

Passivhaus is taking off in the North West, with a number of largescale projects completed and in the pipeline in Greater Manchester..

Blackrock Street, Manchester. Image credit: GWPA

A few certified projects are already in existence, including the trailblazing Erneley Close EnerPHit scheme in Manchester and newbuild projects for One Manchester. as well as the UK's first Passivhaus veterinary centre in Wigan. In addition to the flagship 96-unit Greenhaus project currently on site, and a Salford co-living scheme, Salford City Council is undertaking some Passivhaus pilot schemes across numerous sites in Salford. A SEND school in Bury is being built to the Passivhaus standard and several other private and social housing developments targeting Passivhaus are in the pipeline.

It is fantastic news that these new affordable homes are being made to such a high energy efficient standard. This is something that all developers should be aiming to do and it goes towards the aim of making Greater Manchester carbon-free by 2038.

Paul Dennett, City Mayor, Salford City Council

Erneley Close, Manchester Social housing retrofit for One Manchester. No. of homes: 32 Stage: Completed Certification: EnerPHit, 2015 Key team: Casey Group, R-Gen, Eric Parks, WARM
Stoney Gate Walk, Manchester Affordable social housing scheme for One Manchester. No. of homes: 3 (Passivhaus), 18 (PHI LEBS) Stage: Completed Certification: Passivhaus & PHI LEBS, 2019. Key team: GWPA, WARM
Wigan Veterinary Centre Occupancy: Commercial building Stage: Completed Certification: Passivhaus, 2021 Key team: PYC Construction, MBC Timber Frame, WARM
Blackrock Street, Manchester Affordable social housing scheme for One Manchester. No. of homes: 4 (Passivhaus), 18 (PHI LEBS) Stage: Completed Certification: Passivhaus & PHI LEBS, 2022. Key team: GWPA, WARM
Brassington Avenue, Salford Passivhaus pilot scheme for Salford City Council. No. of homes: 3 (Passivhaus), 2 (PHI LEBS) Stage: Completed Certification: Passivhaus & PHI LEBS, 2022, Key team: PRP, Seddon, Zero Energy + Passivhaus
Ryall Avenue, Salford Passivhaus pilot scheme for Salford City Council. No. of homes: 2 (Passivhaus), 2 (PHI LEBS) Stage: Completed Certification: Passivhaus & PHI LEBS, 2022 Key team: PRP, Seddon, Zero Energy + Passivhaus
Greenhaus, Salford Joint venture between the English Cities Fund (ECF) and Salix Homes, in partnership with Salford Council. No. of homes: 96 Stage: On site Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: Buttress Architects, Max Fordham, WARM
SEND School, Bury Capacity: School building for 80 pupils Stage: On site Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: Stride Treglown, Bowmer + Kirkland, WARM, Zero Energy + Passivhaus
Ince St Mary’s, Wigan Affordable housing scheme for Wigan Council. No. of homes: 47 Stage: Planning permission Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: Pozzoni, BTP Architects, Tyson Construction, Zero Energy + Passivhaus
The Avenue, Salford Private co-living development of apartments with shared kitchens and living space, designed on stilts to enable construction on a flood plain. No. of homes: 33 Stage: Planning permission granted. Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: Ollier Smurthwaite
Victoria Park, Manchester Development for private sale. No. of homes: 72 Stage: Seeking planning permission Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: Ollier Smurthwaite
Ryebank Fields, Manchester Mixed tenure development for Step Places and Southway Housing Trust. No. of homes: 120 Stage: Seeking planning permission Certification: Aiming for Passivhaus Key team: 5Plus Archiitects