The SDF’s Exemplars Library champions people and organisations delivering pioneering work in the built environment, and building a sustainable future world TODAY, through showcasing buildings that are fit for the future. Our exemplar projects highlight different aspects of sustainability across ten indicators within three cross-cutting themes:
- Enable sustainable communities
- Promote occupant health and wellbeing
- Deliver whole-life net zero
The library is dynamic, and is updated as new projects are completed. Our latest addition is Duncombe Square, City of York Council’s first Passivhaus development: 34 homes on a 0.66-hectare brownfield site in the city’s Clifton ward. All of the homes and the scheme’s commercial unit will achieve Passivhaus certification, bringing low energy bills, healthy indoor environments and thermal comfort in both winter and summer.
What sets Duncombe Square apart is that it delivers this across every tenure. The scheme is split 20% social rent, 40% shared ownership and 40% market sale, with no difference in performance or quality between them, and the design is tenure-blind throughout. Three ground-floor flats are built to M4(3) accessible standard and all homes are designed to adapt as residents’ needs change. Shared growing areas, a central green space with a natural children’s play area, and a new public square beside St Luke’s Church give the development places that belong to everyone, with cycle storage prioritised over car provision.
The design was shaped by the people who know the neighbourhood best: pupils from Clifton Green Primary School and local residents contributed to early proposals through workshops and community consultation.
Adam Harper of City of York Council presented the scheme at the SDF’s Delivering Sustainable Housing at Scale session at Futurebuild in May.