Commendation for best innovative technology
Fresh thinking
There is no doubt housing associations lead the way when it comes to the use of modern methods of construction and innovative technology. They have to meet constraints of tight budgets and timetables, but they do so and also achieve higher standards of energy efficiency, floorspace and sustainability, and often more progressive architecture, so perhaps private homebuilders should not remain complacent for too much longer, especially as many housing associations are now building new homes for shared ownership and even outright sale.
Midsummer Housing Association’s development of 85 mixedtenure affordable homes at Medbourne, a newly developing residential area on the western fringe of Milton Keynes adjoining Shenley Wood, with its own district park and playing fields. Designed by PRP Architects, it was selected as a demonstration project by English Partnerships, because of the attention it has paid to innovative and environmental design at every stage. It is being built by members of Midsummer’s strategic partnership, the Atlas Project, who include Jarvis Contracting, McCann Homes, and another firm of architects, Woods Hardwick.
One may forgive the unusual marketing name, fresh@medbourne. This is not its email address, but indicates the amount of fresh thinking that went into this development, which is just coming up to final completion. It incorporates three modern methods of construction, namely two different types of PACE timber-frame and also Terrapin volumetric units. This has achieved a 30-per-cent reduction in construction time and a 5-per-cent reduction in construction costs, while at the same time improving quality and customer satisfaction.
This £5.75-million development at Medbourne is part of a much larger programme by Midsummer, which plans to build 1,500 affordable homes in the Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area. Medbourne 5 (which is the more prosaic name for fresh@medbourne) has 55 apartments and 10 houses for shared ownership (35 of which will be allocated for key workers), and 20 three-bedroom houses and two-bedroom flats for affordable rent.
The Medbourne development has an Ecohomes rating of Excellent, and 12 of the new homes have a solar panels installed as part of a full solar thermal and whole ventilation system. All the homes have condensing boilers, low-energy lighting, dual flushing toilets and aerated taps to reduce water consumption, water butts to promote the use of recycled water, and cycle racks to encourage a reduced use of cars.
Lessons learned from monitoring the solar heating and other energy-saving systems may be used to educate the surrounding community and schools, for Midsummer believes in sharing the lessons it learns from its Atlas Project partners and its tenants. In this way it hopes to increase the uptake of renewable energy systems and sustainable building methods.
HomeBuilder: MIDSUMMER HOUSING ASSOCIATION
Henshaw House, 851 Silbury Boulevard, Central MiltonKeynes MK9 3JZ
Tel 01908 609577 Fax 01908 609558
Contact: Dawn Irvine, Communications Manager
Email: dawn.irvine@midsummer.org
Website: www.midsummer.org
Architects: PRP ARCHITECTS
Lloyds Court, 667 Silbury Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3AZ
Tel 01908 393929 Fax 01908 393844
Contact: Robert Coles, Partner
Email: robert.coles@prparchitects.co.uk
Website: www.prparchitects.co.uk
Photography: ROB WYATT PHOTOGRAPHY (01908 220902)