St Matthews commended by Evening Standard Awards

 

12.05.2006

 

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said: "The high-quality, low-cost design achieved by PRPZedFactor at St Matthews sets the standard for what we should be achieving in every social housing development in London. Given the choice, most people would rather live in an energy efficient building like this, with lower bills and higher year-round comfort. And the big reductions in carbon emissions will help London play its role in the increasingly urgent task of tackling global warming."

PRP’s Sustainable Keyworker Development Scheme in St Matthew’s commended in Evening Standard Awards. The St Matthew's Keyworker Development project comprising 12 flats in Brixton, London, has been commended in the 'BEST NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE AFFORDABLE HOMES SECTOR' in the Evening Standard Homes and & Property New Homes Awards 2006. This is the first built project to come out of PRP Zedfactor, a joint venture collaboration between PRP and Bill Dunster Architects.

The project was also commended in the Architect's Journal Sustainability Award category and the AJ described the project as "a bold attempt to introduce a forward-looking approach to environmental issues into the social housing sector".

PRP Director Andy von Bradsky said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been commended in this award. This scheme has allowed us to show how good design and energy efficiency can be integrated to create a highly desirable, attractive and environmentally considerate housing project. We hope this sets a precedent for the future.”

The £1.5m scheme provides 12 cutting edge key worker flats in the London Borough of Lambeth for Presentation HA. The one and two bedroom homes are designed to achieve a zero-heating standard.

All living rooms face south and have large windows and direct access to south-facing winter gardens and balconies. The roof is fitted with solar panels and thermal tubes to supplement water heating for the flats, which is otherwise provided by a wood pellet burning boiler using non-fossil renewable fuel.

Energy bills are expected to be less than £75 per annum and the scheme is designed to be upgradeable to full ZED standards as costs of key components fall. Ken Livingstone praised the scheme at a conference in Europe, calling developers and Local Authorities to replicate the design and technical performance on other projects.

This is the first phase of the regeneration of LB Lambeth’s St Matthews estate.

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Notes to editors

High res images are available upon request.

PRP (www.prparchitects.co.uk) is one of Britain's leading multi-disciplinary architectural practices with over 40 years’ experience in providing design and architecture to the private and public sectors. The largest housing practice in the country, PRP also designs care homes, schools, health facilities, leisure complexes, mixed use and commercial buildings. The company employs over 350 staff across a wide range of disciplines and is an expert in delivering regeneration solutions. In 1996, PRP launched its specialist project management arm, PRP Project Services, to help clients navigate the design, financing, maintenance and management issues required in major regeneration projects. In 2002, PRP launched PRP ZedFactor, a joint venture with Bill Dunster Architects, to deliver shared goals of zero carbon emissions and drive the adoption of low energy developments in the marketplace. PRP offices are based in London, Surrey, Milton Keynes and Manchester.

For more information, please contact Vanessa Clarke, Head of Communications on +44 20 7653 1200 or email vanessa.clarke@prparchitects.co.uk