RIVERSIDE PARK, CANONBIE

Location: Dumfries & Galloway

Client: Queensberry Properties Ltd

Programme: Current Project

Queensberry Properties, a joint venture between Cruden Homes and Buccleuch Property, commissioned the Practice to design a scheme with a range of new house types that respond to the local site context and achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating under the BRE EcoHomes assessment.

The design strategy focuses on environmental sustainability by maximising passive solar gain at both the large scale (site layout) and small scale (individual house layout). The houses have been carefully positioned and orientated within the site to ensure that most have long south facing elevations and the internal layouts place the main habitable spaces to the south and the secondary spaces and circulation to the north. When this layout strategy is combined with high levels of insulation and air-tightness, it provides a highly sustainable house type.

The site layout design provides private south facing gardens and there are a variety of open space and play areas incorporated. The street design is based on Homezone principles providing a shared vehicle pedestrian space giving the development a distinct identity.

The project forms part of a series of Case Studies by The Energy Saving Trust on the challenges and opportunities for incorporating sustainable design into mainstream housing projects. The intention is to carry out post occupancy assessments with some of the purchasers to inform this Case Study.