Construction begins on 51 Passivhaus homes in Essex
Construction of Circle Housing’s all-affordable Passivhaus certified housing development has got under way in Rainham, Essex.
The development on a brownfield site off New Road in Rainham, Essex, will comprise 51 new affordable rented homes with a mix of one, two, three and four-bed dwellings, which are also Lifetime Homes, Mayor’s London Housing Design Guide and Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 compliant. The project is a collaboration of Circle Housing Group and Climate Energy Homes who are developing the site which was acquired from the Greater London Authority (GLA). PRP is project manager and cost consultant on the project.
The project will use the ecoTECH super-insulated timber panel system – for which Climate Energy Homes holds the UK patent – with brick and timber cladding.
Working with Passivhaus consultant Peter Warm Associates, the architect has designed a simple arrangement of unbroken terraces, which are deep on plan and so maintain the low ratio of external envelope to floor area. This simple, efficient envelope is key to thermal efficiency and airtightness. The size and position of windows has been considered to balance requirements for good levels of daylight, minimal heat loss and solar gain. This simple and efficient envelope is key to maintaining thermal efficiency and air tightness. The size and position of windows has been rigorously considered to balance the requirements for good levels of daylight, minimal heat loss and solar gain.
Two rows of three-storey and one row of two-storey terraces are arranged as a block completed by an apartment building. The terraced houses have front gardens, upright proportions and subtle details that allude to the Georgian and Victorian terraces that make up a large part of London’s most popular housing stock. The apartments are paired around cores in a manner reminiscent of traditional London mansion blocks, where circulation space has a feeling of privacy derived from serving only a few homes. The apartment building, at only three storeys, is no taller than the adjacent terraces and so has a residential scale rather than the scale of a more urban block of flats.
Brick has remained relevant as a primary building material because it is robust, affordable and ages well. It is also intrinsically associated with residential architecture and so is a natural, contextual choice. Timber cladding compliments the brickwork and has a softer, more tactile character with compared masonry.
New residential streets have been designed with consideration to the wider masterplan for the area and the existing planning consents for the adjacent sites. The scheme creates a significant amount of open green space available for both residents and wider community use. It also supports local wildlife by making accessible and cleaning and replanting the watercourse which forms the eastern boundary of the site.
Gerard Maccreanor of Maccreanor Lavington said: “By adopting Passivhaus principles we were able to bring a level of innovation to the project that not only ensured high quality, but the highest standards of sustainability along with affordability – a triumvirate seldom achieved”
Helen Wilson, group head of energy and green strategy of Circle Housing Group, said, "We are really excited about this new development as it has the potential to reduce our customers’ heating and hot water costs by up to 80% each year.”
image: Maccreanor Lavington
14th October 2013
Get involved with the UK Passivhaus community
 |
 |
 |
 |
