Towering EnerPHit kickstarts mammoth estate regeneration

Plans for one of the capital's most ambitious estate restoration and regeneration schemes are finally underway thanks to a £3.83 million grant from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. The submitted planning application is one of London's largest, delivering over 2,000 sustainable homes - half are social rent as part of the Newham Council's Just Transition climate action plan.

The Council’s ‘retrofit first’ approach on the Carpenters Estate, delivered by its wholly owned housing company Populo Living, will see the retention and upgrade of at least 40% of the existing homes, including the refurbishment of James Riley Point (JRP) to Passivhaus standards.

JRP forms part of the £1bn regeneration of East London’s Carpenter Estate. The redevelopment of JRP reinvents this 23-storey semi-derelict residential tower to the Passivhaus EnerPHit standard and places it at the heart of its community.

James Riley Point I Image © Proctor & Matthews I Rokhsana Riaz, Mayor of Newham quote: We want to deliver affordable homes and deal with the housing crisis impacting Newham residents. James Riley Point retrofit enables residents to save money through high-quality energy-efficient homes that will mean cheaper bills and is better for the planet as we do our bit in the face of the climate emergency.

The JPR tower refurbishment includes:

New community & sports facilities at its base.
Reconfigures the building’s internal & external amenity spaces to meet modern housing policies.
Upgrade 136 homes up to the Passivhaus EnerPHit Standard.
Reduce the building’s embodied carbon.

Confirmation of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) means enabling works can commence in Autumn 2024.

JRP will become a landmark building. The tower rises from its plinth of eight columns. New policy-compliant balconies replace the existing shallow inset terraces that have been absorbed within to improve home internal areas, building form factor, and eliminate thermal bridging.

An external vertical grid of aluminium fins provides shading to the glazing while maintaining desired daylight levels in apartments.

Individual air source heat pumps will provide energy-efficient heating and hot water for these homes. MVHR will provide ventilation.

The scheme ensures all existing council tenants, homeowners, and those with a right to return can remain on the Estate. Completion is due in 2025.

Learn more about this mammoth scheme at the 2024 UK Passivhaus Conference. Hear PHT member ECD architects share their experience of delivering EnerPHit at scale! Join us in Oxford (or online) in September.