How New Thinking Delivers Homes People Love To Live In
From the outside, the sixteen new flats and four-family homes that make up the Rowstock mixed tenure development in Islington look like conventional brick-built dwellings. But appearances can deceive. They are, in fact, energy-efficient homes created with modern construction methods to meet level four of the Code for Sustainable Homes.
As well as being highly energy-efficient the homes feature:
- An extensive green roof system with photovoltaic cells.
- PV cells which yield 14.25Kwp across the flats and 1.84Kwp for the family homes.
- Communal charging points for mobility scooters.
The original design specified a conventional masonry construction. Using our extensive experience of new building technologies, Osborne redesigned the project to feature off-site manufactured lightweight metal framing and joists, floating composite floor slabs and brickwork cladding. Construction was completed faster while ‘just in time’ deliveries reduced the need for storage in this densely populated location.
Bring Under-Used Urban Spaces Back To Life
The objectives and constraints experienced in the Rowstock development are typical of many projects aimed at repurposing underused urban spaces. By applying innovative methods, many sites that might have looked too difficult to develop become feasible projects. The homes created are cost-effective, energy-efficient and high quality.
Modern methods also bring benefits to existing communities and businesses that surround urban developments. As a general rule, disruption, noise and dust are all significantly reduced.
Redeveloping the 1960s Redbrick Estate followed a similar pattern in which modern, offsite methods were deployed in place of the blockwork originally specified for much of the project.
Innovation saved £1.1m from a budget of £22m during the project to create 39 affordable and 19 private homes, along with a new community centre, retail units and multi-level car park.
These examples illustrate how substantial cost and time savings can be made on residential projects while also creating new homes that are economical to heat and a pleasure to live in.
For more information on how Osborne is using innovation to deliver greater value to affordable and mixed tenure housing programmes, contact Mike Peskin ([email protected]).
