Modular Homes, Green Houses: Greenwich is ahead of its time

Given the unique position Greenwich occupies in matters relating to time, it only seems right that the area can now be seen to be ahead of its time in how it embraces social housing. A project to address the need for affordable housing which began in June 2019 has come to fruition in July 2020 when four new houses were unveiled in Robert Street, Woolwich in South East London.

Affordable social housing is commendable but this hitherto unique project goes way beyond that in terms of forward-looking environmental awareness and how the future of one sector of house construction may look.

• The four houses were “built” by the modular housing firm, ilke Homes, in their factory in Knaresborough, Yorkshire and then hoisted into place by a crane and installed in Woolwich. ilke collaborated with the environmentally-minded engineering firm, ENGIE, who prepared the site.

• Because the construction work had been completed off-site, the houses were delivered and installed in considerably less time than a comparable build through conventional methods would allow.

• The truly futuristic aspect of the project is that the houses are designed to exceed net-zero carbon emissions which places them among buildings which actually put energy back into the grid.

• By fitting solar panels, individual air source heat pumps and using digital technology to draft a bespoke design which minimises energy use, the homes can be heated for as little as £1 per day.

The houses clock in with an Energy Performance Certificate rating well above the current highest category of A compared to the average house rating of D.

Greenwich Council is justifiably proud that they are host to these ground-breaking homes which accord perfectly with their dual commitment to:

1. Deliver 750 new high-quality, sustainable and affordable green houses in the borough by 2030;

2. Meet a net-zero carbon emissions across the borough by 2030, 20 years ahead of the national target.

Perhaps in due course, GMT will be thought of as Greenwich Meets Targets and modular homes and green houses will become commonplace.