Parkfield, Thurlestone – Sustainable Social Housing

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Steve Prime – Housing Association CEO

“This is a very important development for the Association. We have long held the view that sustainable affordable housing can be developed in rural locations, not as an experiment but as a template which can be replicated.”

Parkfield in Thurlestone is a development of 4 new build social houses.

The site

This project presented a unique and challenging proposition for the team at Sustainable Design Collective Ltd.

The site is located in the historic and picturesque seaside village of Thurlestone. Characterised by Devon thatched cottages and windswept sand dunes, provid­ing unique sensitivities for the design.

Another challenge for the development of the site was its status as a brownfield site, having suffered a long period of dereliction.

The design

The houses were designed using a modular system to enable flexibility, to suit individual tenants and the constraints of the site. There are 2 L-shaped units and 2 terraces which cascade down the sloping site. This way of designing allows a rapid and efficient building and design process. The project achieved Code 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes in the Design stage.

The build process

The build process comprises a passive slab and timber frame system built offsite, which act as an airtight layer. to Code 5 specification in the Code for Sustainable Homes (Design stage) and include Passivhaus features to maximise energy efficiency.

Sustainable features

These buildings feature mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), providing fresh air to every room in the house, while keeping the building warm and keeping heating costs down.

Each house features solar photovoltaics (PV), integrated with the aesthetic of the roof’s construction and solar thermal providing 60-70% of annual hot water needs.

There is also a rainwater harvesting system to recycle water from the roofs for use in toilets and washing machines.

Specification