December 20 2022

A social housing development billed as the first to be Passivhaus certified in Scotland, has been completed in Drymen, Stirlingshire.

Cruden Building with ECD Architects, acting on behalf of Hanover Scotland, have delivered 15 affordable homes fitted with mechanical heat recovery ventilation, triple glazing and solar panels.

Allan Callaghan, managing director of Cruden Building Scotland, commented: “As well as incorporating more efficient heating and energy systems, each home has been specially constructed using standard house kits to streamline the building process and reduce the need for additional materials.

"Bringing all of these solutions together as one, we’ve been able to maximise the positive impact that our new homes will have on the environment and surrounding communities, as well as providing tenants with a significant savings on energy bills.”

Slashing energy requirements for heating by as much as 90% it is claimed that the design will draw 70% less energy as a whole than an equivalent conventional building.

8 Comments

#1 Posted by HMR on 20 Dec 2022 at 12:29 PM

Very poor design. Are we purposely avoiding any frontage, character or life in the front of these homes.

At least the walk from the front door to the car is short. Very sustainable

#2 Posted by Craigbert on 20 Dec 2022 at 14:22 PM

@HMR; as a former cooncil hoose tenant, I would have been much happier with a warm comfortable home that's cheap to run, than a Grand Designs style folly I couldnae afford to heat. I'm not saying that in a Utopia all properties should be works of art. But this is social housing. There are significant constraints. And I think this is excellent.

#3 Posted by HMR on 20 Dec 2022 at 14:55 PM

Even the best examples of social housing have a connection to the street, a sense of place, are pedestrian friendly and not dominated by cars.

Only need to look at the Goldsmith Street Scheme to see how a street can function.

All for ending fuel poverty so well done on that ECD

#4 Posted by CS on 20 Dec 2022 at 16:41 PM

What happened to the Solar Panels?

Massive roof aspect that should be covered in solar, and on the original concept drawings from the old article there was solar.

#5 Posted by Peter on 22 Dec 2022 at 13:13 PM

If you can affort the cost of running a car, you're not in the market for 'social' housing', right?

#6 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 22 Dec 2022 at 14:25 PM

#5 True. I hope in the name of all things holy these houses have no electricity and a shared outdoor toilet.

#7 Posted by Neil McAllister on 6 Jan 2023 at 18:06 PM

I assumed looking at this photo that this façade was north facing and they had minimised the glazing to this side and the garden elevation was where the main living spaces were with much larger glazing areas. Looking at the plans I see this isn't the case - this is the south elevation.

#8 Posted by Fat Bloke on Tour on 7 Jan 2023 at 18:25 PM

More housing association waste -- 42 year old houses demolished to deliver these trendy wendy / box ticking specials?

Coming first seems to be the highlight of the build rather than an effective use of resources.

Passiv haus = mechanical ventilation.

Surely some mistake -- hopefully the mould issue has been well covered.

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