Innovation takes place across a number of themes.
Site selection and location promotes active travel. Courtyard principles are used to enable these very constrained sites to be developed to a density of 30-40 dwellings per Hectare – commensurate with the principles of the original Bulwark Garden Village.
The introduction of house types supporting different tenure types reinforces integration of different uses. Dwellings are designed to be ‘long-life’ in that they have the capacity and technology to absorb changes to household numbers with the easy addition of a second bedroom.
All properties are timber frame and materials used are assessed for sustainability. Specially designed sustainable drainage tree pits and bedding shrubs were also incorporated to manage rainfall and protect against flood risk. A cassette roof system was utilised to maximise the feel of internal space while providing velux roof lights to areas of the house to avoid need for electrical lighting in dusk and dawn.
The project will eliminate the use of fossil fuels through the use of a combination of air source heat pump and photovoltaics. This will be backed up by a robust long life building envelope to Passivhouse standards of insulation.
They will develop the circular economy by applying the ReSOLVE framework to promote the idea of a circular economy.