Work nears completion on first Passive Houses at Perceval Grange in Midhurst

The first Passive Houses – homes specially designed to provide high levels of comfort with minimal energy usage – at Bellway’s Perceval Grange development in Midhurst are now nearing completion.

Eight properties at the 69-home development are being built to Passive House standard, which requires homes to meet a range of strict criteria relating to energy efficiency and building performance.

Passive House (or Passivhaus) is a design concept which originated in Germany in the late 1980s. Its guiding principle is to optimise passive design features – such as insulation, air tightness and solar orientation – to minimise the need for active heating or cooling systems such as gas boilers or air conditioning units.

Properties designed to Passive House standard have been shown to achieve a comfortable indoor environment all-year-round while significantly reducing energy consumption – resulting in lower carbon emissions and lower energy bills for households.

The eight Passive Houses at Perceval Grange will boast a range of energy efficiency features such as heavily-insulated walls and roofs along with high-performance triple-glazed windows to reduce heat loss.

The homes are being built in Bellway’s two-bedroom terraced Bepton house style. Seven will be available to buy on the open market and one is being provided as an affordable home for shared ownership.

Natalie Haigh, Sales Manager for Bellway Southern Counties, said: “The eight Passive Houses at Perceval Grange will achieve an impressive thermal performance, with air tightness being tested throughout the construction process to make sure it meets the standards required, helping customers to minimise their energy usage and their energy bills.

“Energy efficiency is increasingly on customers’ checklists when they’re looking for a new home, and we have seen a considerable amount of interest in the Passive Houses at Perceval Grange. Another attractive feature of these properties is the way they maintain a stable and comfortable temperature all year round, something which is becoming an increasingly important consideration for people given the extreme weather events we have witnessed in recent years.

“The Passive Houses at Perceval Grange are part of Bellway’s wider commitment to carbon reduction. This also includes the roll-out of all-electric homes with energy-efficient air source heat pumps, and 69 of the homes at Perceval Grange – including the Passive Houses – will benefit from this low-carbon heating technology.

“The energy efficiency of the homes at Perceval Grange is just one of the factors which makes this a highly sustainable place to live. The development is regenerating a brownfield site within walking distance of the town centre, providing wildflower meadow which respects the woodland setting, and delivering measures to support wildlife and enhance biodiversity.”  

The Passive House properties at Perceval Grange are constructed with a timber frame, using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) which promote better thermal performance from the walls and roof because there is thicker insulation and less air leakage.

Heat loss from thermal bridging – when more conductive materials such as steel or concrete slabs penetrate the insulation - is reduced to an absolute minimum, through the careful consideration of how junctions are constructed and the use of external doors and triple-glazed windows with high thermal performance.

Meanwhile, Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems use the warmth created in kitchens and bathrooms to heat other areas such as living rooms and bedrooms, cutting demand for energy to heat those spaces.

Solar panels are also incorporated into the roofs for the generation of renewable energy and there are electric vehicle charging points to promote greener travel.

Perceval Grange is being built on the site of the former brickworks and council depot off Bepton Road and comprises 44 two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale, and 25 one, two and three-bedroom affordable homes.

The Passive Houses at the development are priced from £399,995. More information can be found at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/southern-counties/perceval-grange or by calling the sales team on 01730 450031.

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