Project title : Award-winning Low-Carbon Refurbishment, Grassmarket , Edinburgh
Client : Hillcrest Housing Association
Design Team : David Adamson & Ptns (QS), Clark Contracts (contractor), Waterman Group (structural engineers) Faber Maunsell (service engineer)
This project was the final phase of redevelopment of the Caste Trades Hostel in the centre of the city’s World Heritage site. The project specifically tackles the difficult task of refurbishing an existing building to minimise CO2 emissions and dependency on non-renewable energy.
To achieve this, Assist specified a Ground Source Heat Pump, with 70m vertical bores drilled into the bedrock to provide onsite renewable energy for hot water and space heating. We also designed south facing sunspaces for passive solar gain, combined with a positive input heat recovery system to minimise the requirements for a nonrenewable energy source.
Finally, enhanced insulation was wrapped inside the existing stone fabric and secondary glazing added to the existing sash & case windows to minimise heat loss.
Alongside this was a programme of extensive stone conservation and façade protection funded and monitored by the Edinburgh World Heritage Trust.
Winner of the 2009 Scottish Home Awards Affordable Housing Development of the Year category and Inside Housing 2009 Sustainable
Social Housing Refurbishment Project of the Year.
Completed 2008
Contact: Andy Jack
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