Buccleuch Street

With this mixed-use development, we helped our client achieve an exemplary sustainable project which contributes to the circular economy through re-use, provides low energy homes for the future, and which supports social sustainability through the revitalisation of an existing town centre building.

The provision of highly energy efficient affordable homes that help to reduce fuel poverty and improve resident health is one of the foremost aspirations of many council clients, and an area in which we specialise through our dedicated residential and Passive House certified staff. By specifying the use of the Passive House methodology on this town centre regeneration project, Midlothian Council has built one of the first Passive House certified social housing projects in Scotland, has moved towards addressing the climate emergency, and has created homes which benefit from nearly zero operational carbon use.

We created a design which provides an interesting dialog between new and old to enhance the existing character of the area, intertwining design ideas and materials. New flats were created above commercial space within an existing stone building, and further affordable housing is provided within a new building to the rear of Buccleuch Street. Missing pedestrian routes between important nodes in the town were added within the site design, enhancing the regeneration value of the site.

The refurbishment of the existing building focused significantly on social and economic sustainability principals by bringing back to life the vacant existing building through retention, deep refurbishment, thermal improvements, and layout changes to meet current needs. By retaining the embodied carbon of the existing building, providing new housing to a high energy efficiency standard, and giving second life to the shop fronts, we have helped the Council create an exemplar sustainable project.