Eric Wright Construction has completed the delivery of Greenhaus, the largest Passivhaus affordable housing scheme in the North West.
The development was delivered for English Cities Fund (ECF) – a joint venture between Muse, Legal & General and Homes England – alongside Salford housing association, Salix Homes, and supported by Salford City Council. Greenhaus comprises 96 highly sustainable, affordable homes in a nine-storey building on Chapel Street in Salford.
Designed by Buttress architects and built by Eric Wright Construction, Greenhaus is officially certified by the Passivhaus-Institut, the body responsible for promoting and awarding the internationally recognised build programme.
The development was constructed to a Passivhaus Classic standard, providing residents with a range of features that deliver both a healthier living environment and cost-effective homes. Triple glazing, air source heat pumps, and the latest in insulation technology contribute to higher thermal comfort and improved air quality, while reducing the risk of damp, mould, and condensation. As a result of its eco-friendly credentials, operational energy use at Greenhaus will be between 70-90% less than traditional housing, reducing residents’ carbon footprints and lowering energy bills in the process.
A mixed-tenure development of one and two-bedroom homes – including two accessible apartments on the ground floor – Greenhaus comprises homes for social rent, affordable rent and through the Rent to Buy scheme, making it a truly pioneering residential scheme within the North West.
Outside, residents will benefit from electric vehicle charging points and a public square complete with landscaping to foster and encourage community spirit.
Greenhaus is the first Passivhaus development delivered by Eric Wright Construction. The leading low-energy design standard, Passivhaus buildings are so well constructed, insulated, and ventilated that they retain heat from the sun and the activities of their occupants, requiring very little additional heating or cooling.
John Hartnett, managing director of Eric Wright Construction, discussed how the company brought to life this exemplary sustainable building: “Passivhaus is a solution that aims to increase the energy efficiency, and reduce the emissions of a building, promoting better living and well-being. The internationally proven standard concentrates on the external envelope of the building alongside the M&E installation, introducing primary energy sources with the most efficient ventilation systems to maximise energy efficiency overall.
“When building Greenhaus, our talented delivery team increased the quality assurance processes we have on every scheme to meet stringent Passivhaus requirements. We brought all of our subcontractors on the Passivhaus journey to ensure they were fully on board with the approach. This involved sharing knowledge with stakeholders, designers, contractors and other supply chain members, to develop the competence and experience needed to build this ambitious scheme. This was a tremendous team effort demonstrating what can be achieved with a collaborative approach.”
Commenting on the completion of this ground-breaking development, Simon Hourihan, project director at Muse, said: “Our learnings from Greenhaus can also be shared for future developments which will help to shape other sustainable schemes for the benefit of people and the environment. We’ve loved the challenge of delivering the largest Passivhaus scheme of its kind in the North West and can’t wait to see the positive impact this scheme has on its residents.”
Sue Sutton, Chief Executive at Salix Homes, said: “We are incredibly proud to welcome the first residents to Greenhaus, and see our vision for high quality, affordable and sustainable housing brought to life.
“With the rising cost of living, a shortage in the supply of affordable and social housing, and a need to address the challenges posed by the climate crisis, Greenhaus demonstrates what can be achieved through effective partnership working, and a shared desire to create cleaner, greener and healthier homes that are fit for the future and won’t need retrofitting.”
An official launch event to celebrate the success of Greenhaus took place on Monday 18 March 2024, with attendees from ECF, Eric Wright Construction and other stakeholders.
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett also attended the ceremony, where he hailed the development as “the benchmark” for new-build, affordable, and sustainable homes. He commented: “We continue to be immensely proud of the innovation and drive to deliver forward thinking, sustainable developments in Salford – testament to the culture our city fosters and shares with our broader region. The regeneration of Salford is burgeoning and our future looking brighter and greener with each and every milestone we reach.”
Greenhaus is part of ECF’s £1bn, 50-acre Salford Central transformation being delivered in partnership with Salford City Council. The development takes the overall percentage of affordable homes delivered by ECF to 25% across the Chapel Street area of the masterplan.
Following the success of Greenhaus, Eric Wright Construction will deliver a second Passivhaus development on nearby Peru Street, which will create a further 100 affordable and highly sustainable apartments.
