The Seed Cohousing

The Seed is a co-living home for two households, set in a woodland garden near Dundee. Replacing a derelict building that was beyond economic retrofit, almost all of the existing structure was reused or recycled within the new build. The project meets both Passivhaus Classic standard and the RIBA 2030 embodied carbon requirements.

The site presented significant challenges: a Tree Preservation Order covered the woodland garden, and the web of mature tree roots restricted development. Steel screw pile foundations were used to protect the root systems and minimise ground disturbance. The building is constructed almost entirely from timber, with off-site manufactured I-joist frame, recycled cellulose and wood fibre insulation, Scottish timber cladding and zinc roofing. Reducing embodied and in-use carbon was the primary driver of every design decision, resulting in a measured energy use of just 23 kWh/m²/year.