June 4 2024

A development billed as the first 'operational net zero' private apartment block in Edinburgh has been launched by CCG Homes as part of a new housing standard developed with Mast Architects.

West Shore in Granton will offer 56 flats in a striking curved design arcing along West Shore Road but the real interest lies behind the scenes in the use of controlled services which produce zero direct emissions in the operation of climate control, lighting and production of hot water.

Served by a centralised district heating network housed in a dedicated energy pavilion the homes will be powered by ten air-source heat pumps and eight water-to-water pumps, doing away with the need for individual boilers in each home.

This combines with a focus on insulation such as triple-glazed windows to drive down energy consumption and future-proof the properties in anticipation of new energy efficiency standards due to be implemented in 2028.

Phase 4 of the broader Western Villages development with Cooper Cromar the development fronts landscaped gardens overseen by Oobe.  

2 Comments

#1 Posted by Lovely on 5 Jun 2024 at 08:49 AM

How can they be net zero when they draw electric power from an interconnected grid that is still burning coal and wood etc?

And although the heat pumps do increase efficiency there is a high carbon, raw material and money cost to these complex machines and their efficiency is often significantly overstated.

We need more data on all these real life whole life costs and possibly simpler solutions on the table as well as all these complex schemes, especially bearing in mind that Scotland is still full of empty buildings with their carbon costs to build them already embodied.

#2 Posted by Peter on 5 Jun 2024 at 09:10 AM

"Zero Goals" being a key phrase here.

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