Latest phase of Agar Grove certified Passivhaus!

The latest phase of the project is the biggest so far, with 125 dwellings across two buildings. We worked with architects Mae and Hawkins\Brown on the project, providing strategic sustainability consultancy and masterplanning advice, and working on Passivhaus and MEP engineering during design to tender and seeing it through on site. 

We are now engaged in the post occupancy evaluation (POE) phase to review the building performance in terms of energy, internal environmental conditions and occupant satisfaction.  

Changes in legislative requirements allowed us to deliver this phase as fossil fuel-free, making it the first all-electric development of the estate. The innovative heating system uses an ambient loop system which minimises distribution losses, helping with summer comfort, and allowing for the graceful introduction of active cooling in the future as the climate continues to warm. 

Each core has centralised air source heat pumps which produce tepid water which is then circulated around the building, with the temperature boosted by local water source heat pumps in each dwelling, creating higher temperatures for heating and hot water. 

Both buildings are certified Passivhaus. They have good levels of insulation and airtightness (hitting the 0.6 ACH) and low thermal bridging to limit heat loss or gain via the building envelope, combined with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. This efficiently delivers reliable, comfortable ventilation for good air quality, and limits both heat loss, with a high heat recovery efficiency, and fan energy usage.