Observer Ethical Awards 2014... winners!

We were delighted to learn a couple of weeks ago that we'd been shortlisted in the community energy project category of the Observer Ethical Awards 2014, and even more delighted to hear on Wednesday night that we'd won! 

There are lots of things about cohousing that are energy-efficient, not just our lovely Passivhauses themselves... our electricity micro-grid means that we share all our renewable energy (currently from solar PV, soon to be joined by Halton Lune Hydro), and we also share the biomass boiler which provides heating and hot water to all 41 of our homes plus Halton Mill. 

Read more of the story behind the award in this interview with Jon on the Observer website. 

jo

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk

Lancaster Cohousing Project In The Final Of Passivhaus Trust National Awards 2013

Terrace A and the Common House patio - photo by Luke

Exciting news this week - we heard from Andrew Yeats of Eco Arc, our architects, that we've reached the final of this year's Passivhaus Trust National Awards! We're in the last three in our category, which is social housing.

Our entry says:

Lancaster Cohousing is currently the largest completed Passivhaus housing development in the UK, and also meets Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 and Lifetime Homes, with site-wide renewable energy systems, all at affordable costs.
This owner-occupied project evolved through a participatory design process with the individual householders and Eco Arc Architects. It follows the cohousing model with 41 private houses in a car-free site, alongside shared community facilities including a common house, laundry, orchard, gardens, children’s room and play areas, and on-site work spaces for rent. The result is a neighbourhood based upon ecological values, where, as interviews with the residents have shown, it is very easy to live a low carbon, sustainable lifestyle in comfort.

For more about the awards and to see the other shortlisted projects, see the Passivhaus Trust website.

www.lancastercohousing.org.uk