Property of the week: eco development in Leeds
Friday, 15 October 2010 11:01 AM
Not so much shrugging off an outdated stereotype as hurling it out of the window, this new development in Leeds proves once and for all that new-build homes can be über stylish and eco-friendly.
Apartments at the Greenhouse development use rain and recycled water for toilet-flushing, an efficient cross-home energy-sharing system, and solar panels for heating water. There’s an 80m-deep borehole which taps into underground water, cooling the building in the summer and heating it in the winter, meaning there’s not a radiator in sight; meanwhile, futuristic-looking wind turbines on the roof power shared facilities like hallway lighting and lifts.
What’s more, residents are personally able to keep tabs on their energy consumption: Thom Graves, who owns an apartment in the development, says, “Through my TV, I can immediately view how much energy I’ve used and how much it is costing me, or rather not costing me. The reduction in utility bills is readily noticeable.” In fact, properties at Greenhouse enjoy an impressive average energy bill reduction of 60 per cent in comparison to traditional homes – and up to three Olympic-sized swimming pools of water and a tonne of CO2 are saved per year.
But as well as being almost ridiculously kind to the planet (carbon emissions from the Greenhouse development are 65 per cent less than the current government target), the properties are also rather gorgeous. Floors are made of solid bamboo, and cut-out product from above the hobs is used to create chopping boards that also double as nifty sink covers. Design elements from the part-refurbished 1940s building housing the apartments are echoed inside, with exposed concrete, timber and brickwork lending an urban edge to the state-of-the-art pads.
“It’s exciting to be living in what is to my knowledge one of the few developments in the country that can boast green credentials and chic design. I love the attention to detail the developers have taken,” says Graves.
Greenhouse is situated in Beeston, south Leeds. “The area can diplomatically be described as ‘gritty’ or ‘edgy’”, Graves explains, “but that is precisely why Greenhouse is so great. Communities like this need new developments to aid in regenerating the area and encouraging other forms of investment.”
It would seem that buying at Greenhouse is about as ethically sound an investment as a buyer can make. However, it’s also a positive lifestyle choice, and not just because of the properties’ distinctly stylish take on green living: there’s a free onsite gym, onsite deli, regular exhibitions and film screenings, and communal allotments to keep residents busy and healthy. Says Graves, “Honestly, I am just impatient for the rest of the country to catch up with this way of living.”
Prices range from £59,000 for a studio to £230,000 for a three-bed flat complete with roof terrace. To find out more, check out greehouseleeds.co.uk.
