Case Study 4 - Communal Heating, Community Inclusion
Elderpark Housing Association, Elderpark Street, Glasgow
| Type: | New build, timber frame, terrace housing and flats | |||
| Number of units: | 14 | |||
| SAP rating: | 100 | |||
| U-values: | 0.23 Wm2C roof | |||
| 0.24 Wm2C walls | ||||
| 0.40 Wm2C floor |
||||
| Fuel costs: | £3.19 pw (predicted) | |||
| Works costs: | £699,075 |
|||
| Unit cost: | £49,934 |
|||
| Completion date: | July 1999 | |||
| Contacts | Client: | Elderpark Housing Association | Shirley McKnight | 0141 440 2244 |
| Architect: | Mike+Sue Thornley Architects | Sue Thornley | 0141 551 8383 | |
| Builder: | Robinson and Davidson | Alex Steel | 01387 267423 |
Figure 4.1 Overall view of the scheme showing room in the roof. construction and long life copper cladding to the upper storeys.
The site is close to public transport and shops and lies in the heart of a housing area in the south of the city. The courtyard layout of the housing on this brownfield site creates a sheltered and semi-private wildflower garden in front of a south facing 3 storey block. The varied housing mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms includes room-in-the-roof design and barrier-free standards to promote the concept of lifetime housing.
Key Features
Energy
High insulation, communal gas heating, solar sunspaces, passive ventilation
Wall insulation: 140mm mineral wool
Roof insulation: 200mm mineral wool
Floor Insulation: 50mm expanded polystyrene
Communal gas heating: the most interesting feature about this scheme is its use of communal heating to reduce both running costs and long term maintenance costs. Two domestic gas boilers situated in a boiler room provide all the heating and hot water that the scheme requires via a continuous pipe loop through all the houses. Tenants are charged for this through a monthly service charge based on the area/floorspace of their dwelling. Additional heating can be obtained by the tenant using a separate immersion heater and cylinder in each dwelling. This minimises the amount of material resources tied up in the service infrastructure and reduces capital expenditure. The reduced heating specification is possible because of the high insulation levels in the dwellings. Although the engineer pointed out that radiators were only required in certain spaces within the dwelling, the association decided to install standard size radiators throughout to allay any tenant perceptions of inadequate heating provision.
Sunspaces: these are partially glazed and provided to rear of the houses creating additional amenity space as well as a thermal buffer to the main building. They are small enough to avoid being used as a heated 'additional room' during the winter months. The design efficiently allows two walls as well as the floor to be used for thermal storage.
Passive ventilation: a proprietary system allows hot stale air to rise through ducts to the roof ridge vent without fans, reducing energy and maintenance costs.
Figure 4.2 The sunspace is small enough to avoid being used as an additional room in winter.
Social and Management
Community inclusion through family support scheme
Future tenants were previously identified and included on the basis of a Family Support Scheme for the area which places families in need next to supportive families who are often relatives. Supported accommodation was also provided for people with mild or moderate learning difficulties to help integrate them more appropriately into the local community. The scheme strives to achieve a sustainable mix of tenants using a variety of different house types.
Other Relevant Aspects
Resource Conservation
Long-life materials
Copper cladding was chosen over other forms of cladding panels for the exterior walls to maximise longevity of the dwelling. It has a longer lifespan than zinc and other equivalent metals.
Costs and Maintenance
All anticipated costs were contained within an agreed budget with Scottish Homes. The long-life materials chosen for the exterior should also reduce maintenance costs.
Figure 4.3 The two domestic size gas boilers which supply heating to all 14 units are situated in a small communal plant room in between the two houses shown, for ease of access.