These family homes are designed to offer cheaper energy costs for residents, are being built in Bunting Gardens, Wecock Farm using Passivhaus design principles.

The development will mark the first new build Passivhaus Development delivered by Portsmouth Homes, the landlord function of Portsmouth City Council.

Passivhaus is a building standard that aims to reduce energy use and carbon emissions. The buildings have been designed and delivered by the Council’s in-house architects, landscape architects, surveyors, energy officers and construction inspectors in the capital projects team.

In the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness’s meeting in September last year (Report – Bunting Gardens Wecock Farm.pdf) officers discussed the development and confirmed that delivery of new homes to these standards only costs slightly more, but means that tenants could save an estimated £841 a year in energy bills with a Passivhaus design.

Tenants will benefit from improved comfort levels, reduced energy bills, and a significant decrease in the risk of energy poverty. Houses will be kept at a consistent and comfortable temperature using a mechanical ventilation that recovers heat from extracted air and uses this to warm incoming air. The air will be warm, but still fresh.

In addition, each home will have triple glazed windows helping to make them more airtight, reducing heat loss, and keep the warmth inside the homes. Ten new communal parking spaces will also be provided, and new trees and shrubs will be planted around the area to enhance biodiversity.

Cllr Darren Sanders, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness said: Green homes like these make the planet more liveable for our children and save energy bills for council tenants here and now. Portsmouth Council remains committed to tackling climate change and the cost of living and I am delighted that Portsmouth Homes is playing its part in delivering both of those.

Councillor Amy Redsull, Cabinet lead for Housing at Havant Borough Council, said: I applaud the work being completed to reduce our carbon footprint. In this case, not only does it help the residents in reducing their bill, it also has a positive impact on our environment and allows local people to remain within their communities. This project is inspiring, and I hope that its ingenuity sparks further developments similar in nature.

The council has experienced and qualified Passivhaus architects, if you’d like to explore whether Passivhaus is right for you, contact Patrick.leggett@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.