GRANTON PLOT D1, EDINBURGH

Forming part of one of the UK’s most ambitious housing-led regeneration programmes in a generation, Granton Plot D1 is setting the bar for net zero carbon emissions in new housebuilding for Edinburgh, Scotland and beyond.

Located northwest of Edinburgh’s city centre within the Granton Waterfront Development Framework Area (GWDF), a total of 3,000 net zero carbon homes are set to be created over the next 10 years.

Granton Plot D1 is one of two confirmed projects that will be led by CCG on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council in the district with 75, one-and-two-bedroom flats and 3 commercial units set to be created upon a brownfield site adjacent to the former Grade B Listed Granton Railway Station.

The project, designed by Anderson Bell Christie, is identified as the first ‘pilot’ scheme of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD), an applied research initiative that will seek to develop (and implement) a model for the design procurement, delivery of new affordable, net zero homes across the Edinburgh City Deal Region

In order to achieve net zero at Granton D1, the energy strategy for the development will utilise the principles of the CCG Net Zero Home building standard: enhanced fabric performance is delivered by the CCG ‘iQ’ Timber System and the use of low U-Value components such as CCG-manufactured, triple-glazed windows and doors. Through advanced detailing, airtightness is improved and heat loss is vastly reduced, thus, lowering in-use energy demand and emissions as well as reducing annualised energy costs to the occupier..

This Fabric First approach is then complemented by a renewable energy strategy, designed in partnership with Carbon Futures, that utilises solar PV panels and an all-electric heating system which is delivered via an on-site cASHP (combined Air Source Heat Pump) energy centre. Through this innovative combination, carbon emissions, arising from operational energy use, are significantly reduced with operational net zero carbon delivered via additional carbon offsetting measures.

The carbon footprint of the development over the duration of its lifetime is lowered as a result of the reduced emissions as well as through CCG’s approach to offsite manufacturing and Modern Methods of Construction with a vast reduction in embodied carbon as a result of waste, recycling and efficiency measures during the build process.

Part of Edinburgh’s ambitions to become a net zero city by 2030 also focuses on the social agenda associated with emissions whereby developments such as D1 are delivered alongside more (and greener) public transport infrastructure; developed with lower parking provision to encourage the uptake of public transport, and active travel routes towards the city centre.

This long-term approach to large-scale regeneration and town planning is also being adopted at the 444- net zero home Western Villages, also located in Granton, which will formally commence construction in 2022.

Client:
The City of Edinburgh Council