Rural housing specialists Warwickshire Rural Housing Association (WRHA) and New Meaning Training recently held a passivhaus event in Bearley to showcase their latest low-carbon, affordable homes.
Stratford-on-Avon District council members and officers joined other developers and housing associations – including Futures Housing Group, Orbit, and Two Rivers Housing – to learn more about the Beattie Passive system as an option for building affordable homes.
It was also an opportunity for WRHA and developers Harper Group to share how social enterprise education provider New Meaning Training (NMT) is impacting the development.
The seven homes – which are the realisation of a 20-year plan for the village – will be prioritised for local people.
The development is being built using the low-carbon Beattie Passive system, and each ‘super-insulated’ home will have solar panels and air-source hot water and heating systems.
This not only supports Stratford-on-Avon’s zero-carbon plans, according to WRHA, but will also mean much lower energy costs for the residents.
Commenting on the initiative, Ian Shenton, portfolio holder for Climate Change at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, said: “It was fantastic to learn that New Meaning have opened a new centre here in Stratford, where they will train more local young people in construction.
“To see a number of organisations working together to provide high-quality, energy-efficient affordable housing, whilst also teaching new skills, in a practical way, is a fantastic combination, which I applaud and support wholeheartedly.”
Sara Walton, Development manager at Two Rivers Housing, said: “We really appreciate WRHA sharing their insights and experiences with us.
“Improving the energy efficiency of social housing is an important step in reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions; and by sharing ideas, experiences, and working together, housing associations will play a vital role in this.”
WRHA’s vice-chair, Ann Lattimore, added: “I was blown away by our passive house development in Bearley.
“Not only is it being built to the highest energy-efficiency standards, but the build is providing an amazing opportunity for young people, who have reached school leaving age without any qualifications, to get back on track.”
Warwickshire Rural Housing Association is a specialist housing provider established in 1989.
Main image: New Meaning Training students and graduates on Bearley site
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