The Wixams, in Elstow, is one of the largest new communities in the UK providing 4,500 new homes (25% of which are affordable) one million square feet of office space, a town centre with community facilities and over 150 acres of amenity and public open space.
A Design Brief and Code for the first phase of residential dwellings was developed including a requirement for all dwellings to achieve an EcoHomes rating of Very Good.
The detailed design and construction of the individual dwellings was undertaken by a number of development partners with ultimate responsibility to ensure the EcoHomes rating was delivered. To facilitate the developer, Gallagher Estates, in identifying and negotiating with potential development partners and to establish the likely risk and cost for those partners, Greengage produced a comprehensive EcoHomes framework to ensure that sustainability was masterplanned and costed into the design.
In addition, ongoing support and advice was given for masterplanning and preferred developers to integrate sustainable features and initiatives into their design schemes, facilitating workshops and think tanks on cost effective measures to meet the EcoHomes targets.