Octavia build passiv homes
Octavia Living is building using pioneering Passivhaus principles originally developed in Germany, where the approach has been used to build tens of thousands of properties. The Passivhaus standard is a unique solution for sustainable building that uses existing materials, technology and a proven set of principles, such as exceptionally high levels of insulation and minimal thermal bridging – not even a gap the size of a 20p piece can be left within the air tight layer which surrounds a Passivhaus. More than just an incremental improvement on existing building regulations, Passivhaus is a radical improvement in sustainable design – a standard Octavia Living strives for in its provision of quality housing at affordable prices.
The Greenahuses are available off plan to private buyers now and a small amount of affordable units will be released next year.
The Passivhaus approach aims to drastically reduce air and heat loss compared to even the most modern good quality housing developments. The effect of this is that The Greenhauses will require hardly any heating at all. Even in mid-winter residents will be able heat a large living room with the equivalent energy of just 10 tea lights. The result can be a dramatic 90% reduction in energy consumption for heating and cooling compared to standard new build houses. In an age of rising energy bills and climate concerns, these are houses built with the future in mind. Only if other housing developers adopt Passivhaus on a far greater scale – as other countries in Europe have done – can the UK ever hope to meet its target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
As well as the reduced carbon footprint of the homes, they are also equipped with a ventilation system that provides fresh filtered pre-heated air to the house while extracting used air and moisture from the building, which improves the comfort and air quality levels for anyone inside.
Octavia Living is breaking new ground by bringing these principles of demanding construction to a mixed tenure scheme in the Capital. In 2011 Octavia developed the UK’s first ever certified Passivhaus retrofit – to a Victorian property in a beautiful conservation area of Holland Park, London, which provided important lessons for how to bring the approach to an inner city context.
Grahame Hindes of Octavia Living said: “With sustainable living previously seen as a luxury reserved only for those who can afford it, Octavia Living is breaking new ground in London by using the Passivhaus approach in a mixed tenure development. We want to ensure that the environmental, financial and well-being benefits offered by the Passivhaus approach, are available not only to those on high incomes.
“Octavia seeks to continue the legacy of our founder, Octavia Hill, who pioneered good value, well-designed affordable housing. Setting the standard for sustainable living in the capital The Greenhauses is a testament to her vision of housing for a happy, healthy life”.
Dr Wolfgang Feist, developer of the Passivhaus standard said: “The Passivhaus concept is a basis for a really sustainable building and I am very impressed to see the progress taking place in the UK - I am especially proud, that passive houses now are being built for a lot of different building types. It’s especially good to see that the concept is useful for a mixed tenure project - it's an application which is really promising and really necessary, to avoid fuel poverty and guarantee a decent quality of life. There is a real need for more developers to take steer from Octavia in this case.”
For sales enquiries visit www.thegreenhauses.co.uk
For more information on the Passivhaus approach visit: http://www.passivehouse-international.org/
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