Virido

New build

Residential

Summary

This development of 208 new homes in Cambridge is helping to cement the city’s status at the forefront of sustainable housing design.

Forming part of a much larger multi-year development, the Virido scheme includes market and affordable housing in equal numbers to create high quality homes and create a sense of community.

Homes are arranged in groups surrounding parkland at the centre of the site, with each home having private garden space and access to larger communal grounds. The landscaping, which includes moats, reduces the risk of flooding and provides a water source for green spaces.

All of the homes have been designed to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5. The dwellings are built to using Passivhaus principles with high levels of insulation and airtightness and a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system.

As part of the initial development, two homes were occupied for a year by families taking part in a research programme, so the architect and developer could be sure the homes were performing as designed. Families in these ‘concept homes’ provided vital information on how people interact with and use technology such as heat pumps and MVHR, to help improve future homes.

 

Key Features

  • Community engagement is an integral part of the scheme
  • Built using Passivhaus principles to achieve high performance in-use
  • ‘Concept homes’ were studied for a year to get real-world feedback
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Sustainability Indicators

Further Information