Slateford Green
http://www.dunedincanmore.org.uk/
Slateford Green is a mixed tenure development by Canmore Housing Association of 69 flats for social rent, 39 for shared ownership and 12 for outright sale through Malcolm Homes Ltd. The project importantly demonstrates the financial viability of housing for sale that is car-free and that incorporates sustainable construction methods. Innovative sustainability features, include:
- car-free
- brownfield site
- mixed tenure
- materials with minimal environmental impact
- super insulation
- passive stack ventilation
Slateford Green is built on a former railway goods yard with good access to many facilities and public transport. It is thus an ideal site for a car-free residential development. The space that would have been devoted to parking spaces has instead been used for gardens, children's play areas and allotments. Car ownership levels among Canmore's tenants as a whole are less than 20%. Complementing the development is the Edinburgh CityCarClub, a joint venture between Edinburgh City Council and Smart Moves. For an annual fee, members of the club have access to a fleet of vehicles which can be hired locally by the hour.
A design competition was won by Hackland and Dore of Edinburgh. The design is derived from the traditional Edinburgh tenement block, with its sheltered courtyard form adapted to the site and maximizing solar gain. A community hall is included within a 2-4 storey perimeter block of units. The block encloses terraced gardens and is surrounded by natural landscape and allotments. The construction is lightweight dry-fix with reduced costs through prefabrication and waste reduction. Materials have been sourced for minimal environmental impact, reduced maintenance and their capacity for recycling.
Energy saving is achieved mainly by super insulation. The structure is clad with a breathing wall with 175mm of Warmcel with panel-vent sheathing. Most flats have conservatories providing passive solar gain to living spaces orientated into the south-facing courtyard. A district heating system unfortunately had to be abandoned as a result of legal obstacles, and gas-fired boilers serving each stair - previously planned as a back up - were installed instead. Natural ventilation is encouraged by passive stack ventilation and there is provision for retrofitting of photovoltaic panels to power lighting if and when practical cost effective products become available.