Tag: Granton Station View

Final phase of Granton Station View ‘net-zero ready’ development begins

The development of 75 affordable, ‘net-zero ready’ homes at Granton Station View, led by the City of Edinburgh Council, has reached its final phase now that rigorous testing is underway to validate performance standards. 

Across three pilot projects, including the Granton site, the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme is set to deliver 324 homes designed to achieve a ‘net-zero ready’ standard. This is achieved by improved building fabric performance that exceeds the current Building Regulations coupled with a zero-emissions heating system. Granton Station View was built by construction and manufacturing group, CCG (Scotland). 

The University of Edinburgh is now conducting detailed, in-situ performance tests to measure and monitor the performance standard before occupancy, with results expected in Spring 2025. The University is measuring the u-value and airtightness of the buildings as well as thermal imaging the homes, to name a few.  

A 12-month monitoring period following occupancy will further assess the homes’ performance. During this time, occupants will also be asked to participate in surveys to understand behaviour that influences energy efficiency and to capture insights into the impact of and experiences with zero-direct-emissions heating systems.

The University will also be capturing the electricity usage via the property distribution board, monitoring the efficiency of the communal heating system and internal air temperature analysis using surface-mounted sensors.  

Now that the EHD programme is well underway with the delivery of its pilot projects, the six local authority partners of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City region Deal have committed to establish and manage the Regional Delivery Alliance (RDA) to apply the lessons learned from the EHD programme to refine and scale the performance standard.

By consolidating outputs from the EHD programme, the RDA is applying a cohesive approach to procurement, housing typologies, and performance specifications across the six local authority areas.  

The Regional Delivery Alliance has secured funding and endorsement from regional partners for an initial two-year term, running until March 2026. The RDA will play a vital role in supporting local authorities, registered social landlords, and the private sector in the South East of Scotland, ensuring the successful delivery of affordable, energy efficient housing. 

City of Edinburgh Council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, Lezley Marion Cameron said: “Thanks to the collaborative efforts with our partners at the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme, we’ve been able to deliver high-quality, energy efficient homes that will provide much needed housing for individuals and families.

“The testing being performed will verify that the homes achieve the high standard expected and I look forward to seeing the results. 

“The homes at Granton Station View are designed with the latest technology to keep energy bills low, ensuring that families can live comfortably while benefitting from a sustainable, future-proofed living environment. Not only will they reduce carbon emissions, but they also provide another avenue for tackling the housing emergency.” 

Dr Julio Bros-Williamson, Chancellor’s Fellow in Net Zero Buildings at the University of Edinburgh said: “The evaluation of the homes is the culmination of a lot of hard work from the stakeholders of this pilot project, from the initial design and energy aspirations to the construction and delivery on site.

“The tests we are conducting will help to verify and provide in-depth knowledge of the initial performance of a sample of flats representative of the whole development. Projects like this provide a beacon of knowledge to transition to net zero homes of the present and future.” 

CCG Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “Granton Station View is a pioneering development that will help to shape the future of affordable, net zero housebuilding in the Edinburgh and South East City Region.

“As main contractor, CCG led its delivery through use of our advanced, offsite methods of construction – a key strand of the EHD initiative’s philosophy and an integral component to achieving the rigorous design standard and future operational net zero carbon capability. 

“We look forward to receiving the results and once again give thanks to The City of Edinburgh Council, the design team and wider delivery partners for their support throughout the project’s journey.” 

To keep up to date about the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator and Regional Delivery Alliance, follow the EHD LinkedIn page:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/edinburgh-home-demonstrator 

First tenants move in to new ‘green homes’ on Granton Waterfront

Tenants have moved into the first ‘net zero ready’ affordable homes to be delivered in Granton Waterfront.

A housing emergency was declared in Edinburgh last year and the 75 energy efficient homes for social and mid-market rent at Granton Station View built by CCG (Scotland) Ltd on behalf of the Council are part of the local authority’s £1.3bn regeneration of the area to provide much needed affordable housing.  

The project is part of the major transformation of Granton Waterfront to create a new coastal town in the north of the city with tenants and homeowners also due to start moving into over 400 ‘net zero ready’ homes for social rent, mid-market rent and homes for sale at Western Villages throughout next year.  Work is also well underway to deliver a further 143 ‘net zero ready’ social and mid-market rent homes at Silverlea due for completion in Summer 2026.

The homes at Granton Station View are the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) programme pilot which is part of a collaborative programme between local and national government, academia and the construction industry that has developed a new model for delivering affordable housing in Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

The homes will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the city’s 2030 net zero target. The homes were largely manufactured offsite and have high performance energy efficient features which will help reduce utility bills for tenants. Features include triple glazing, communal zero direct emissions heating as well as solar panels linked to the communal energy centre being provided. The University of Edinburgh will monitor the energy efficiency of the building design for the first year.

Granton Station View was supported by of over £6.6m funding from the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme (ASHP).  

Other innovative features in the development include an underground waste collection system, cycle parking twice the capacity of the residents living there and links to existing and established walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

Three commercial spaces are also situated underneath the homes at Granton Station View providing business and employment opportunities for the area. Two of the spaces have recently been let out ensuring that residents of Granton Station View will have access to a local convenience store with a post office and a fitness gym.

As well as delivering over 3,500 ‘net zero’ homes in the next 10 years, the wider £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration will include a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space as well as a new public park at the iconic Granton Gasholder, currently being restored.

Council leader Cammy Day said: “Today’s announcement is welcome news as the housing emergency we declared last year means we have a chronic shortage of housing in the city.

“Despite Scottish Government cuts in affordable housing, the homes at Granton Station View are part of an exciting pilot project which will not just help us ease this shortage but will provide many individuals and families with comfortable modern homes using the very latest technology to keep energy bills down.

“I wish everyone moving into Granton Station View well and look forward to seeing hundreds of other individuals and families move into the high-quality homes we are delivering at Western Villages and Silverlea as part of our wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.”

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am pleased that the City of Edinburgh Council has delivered 75 high-quality, energy-efficient homes for social and Mid-Market Rent in Granton.

“These homes were backed by over £6.6 million of Scottish Government funding and they will help to meet the needs of the local community for generations to come, whilst supporting Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.

“We remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes across Scotland by 2032 with at least 70% for social rent and 10% in our rural and island communities.”

CCG (Scotland) Managing Director, David Wylie, said: “Scotland is in a housing emergency and our planet is in the midst of a climate emergency. Both issues are some of the most challenging that will face this generation and it is fundamental that we tackle both in equal measure by delivering more, sustainable homes like we have here at Granton Station View.

“Through our own, pioneering construction methods and a new delivery model that focuses on streamlined procurement and collaborative working, we have unlocked brownfield land and evidenced that a just net zero transition is achievable, the needs of our communities can be met, and our carbon impact can be significantly lowered.

“We thank the partners of the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator programme for their support during construction, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Council at Western Villages where a further 444 net zero ready homes, including 56 for sale from CCG Homes, will be completed in 2025.”

 The EHD programme has developed a housing delivery model for ‘net zero ready’ homes across the six council areas in the City Region Deal.

As part of this programme, in Edinburgh, there are also 140 affordable homes being built in Greendykes which will be ready in 2027 and another 40 affordable homes currently being designed for Burdiehouse Crescent. These homes will have similar energy saving features.