Green homes for Greenwich

Posted by Ideal Modular Homes on 18th September 2020 -

We have an ever growing population coupled with a limited supply of housing, this means that most of the time there aren’t enough homes for families and young people across the country. Our vision is to build high quality, beautiful and sustainable homes for all, and recently formed an Alliance with A&E Elkins and shedkm to change the face of social housing. We’ll be delivering affordable modular council homes in a £300m contract for the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council (RBGC) over the next five years.

Our CEO, Luke Barnes, said, “Councils are under constant pressure to deliver affordable housing at a reduced cost, while still delivering on quality. This Alliance will see that beautifully designed high-quality homes can be delivered in half the time that traditional methods would.”

The virus has changed the way we view our homes along with a realisation that health and homes really matter. The link between a good home and good mental health is known but too often forgotten. Natural light and green space is instrumental in maintaining good mental wellbeing. The new homes built for RBGC have been designed with this in mind, big windows flood the homes with plenty of natural bright light throughout the home and wooden walls create a warm, cosy feeling, improving wellbeing for residents. 

Designed for modern living, these homes also boast large open plan spaces for families to spend time together and exceed National Space Standards making them accessible for all and futureproof. Versatile open plan living spaces bring families together, and clever design options and layouts to meet modern living requirements. 

It’s become apparent that there is a lack of community around the country, for some they still have no idea who they’re living next to and struggle with loneliness. The pandemic highlighted that there’s a growing need for healthy communities and neighbourhoods in relation to good wellbeing. A focus on placemaking means that we’re looking to build communities, not just homes in Greenwich, with sociable hubs so that there’s plenty of outdoor space for families to spend time, and young people can mix, safely, with other groups to find their own social bubbles.

Alex Flint, Director at shedkm who designed the homes for the projects, said, “Designed to exemplar standards with sustainability at their heart, the homes will feature exceptional space standards, large expanses of glazing and robust facing materials. The new homes look to change the perception towards off-site manufacturing, through carefully crafted and long-lasting materials, and considered internal layouts. In addition, we will work alongside the landscape architects to ensure that we create new neighbourhoods with identity and a sense of place, providing the residents with a sense of belonging.”

All the homes delivered through the Alliance will have the ability to operate at net zero carbon, with air source heat pump and solar PV, meaning the operational energy of the homes will be not only better for the environment but also more affordable for the tenants helping to address the fuel poverty gap.

Managing Director at A&E Elkins, Ray Elkins, the provider of the project said, “A&E Elkins is delighted to be part of the alliance to support the Royal Borough of Greenwich in their quest to provide high quality, affordable homes that exceed carbon zero standards and reduce fuel poverty for local communities. A&E Elkins believes the council is setting a precedent that should be the standard for all new build homes.”

Royal Greenwich Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Anthony Okereke said, “Employing modular techniques as part of our Greenwich Builds programme is allowing us to quickly deliver the high quality and sustainable council homes so badly needed in our borough. We're excited to be at the forefront of delivering innovative zero-carbon council properties, making good on Royal Greenwich's commitments to tackling both the housing crisis and climate change."