Realising low-energy affordable design
Alexandra House
The project occupies the site of a former health clinic in Hilsea, Portsmouth and is set to become Portsmouth City Councils most energy efficient scheme at completion, making it a precedent setting scheme for the local authority.
Completed in may 2022, Alexandra house has successfully delivered 16 affordable, high quality homes meeting low energy and dependable living standards. The scheme utilises an all-electric set up, including air source heat pumps, and the addition of Tesla Power Walls as battery storage to bank renewable power sourced from the above required number of PV Panels within the development.
The scheme comprises of 9x two bedroom flats which front the main junction of Northern parade and Doyle avenue. Adjacent are 4x three bedroom houses and 3x Dependable living houses.
The understated high-quality brick detailing and varying window framing helps to create a refined design narrative given that the scheme is affordable council housing.
The individual houses act as an extension of the main building, set back from the street, they offer greater privacy to the homeowners whilst contributing to the wider street scene through their elegantly repeating form.
Specialist design elements in the Dependable living houses were made with consultation from an occupational therapist. Items such as internal platform lifts along with allowance for the installation of ceiling hoist systems were made to each of the houses.
