Springfield Meadows, the UK’s leading sustainable housing development, has been awarded Timber Frame Project of the Year and Custom and Self-Build Project of the Year at the Structural Timber Awards. The site consists of 25 beautiful homes, including nine managed by Sovereign Housing Association and is a fully Climate Positive development, with net-zero energy and better-than-zero carbon.
In winning the two awards, presented to Ian Pritchett by Mark Durden Smith, the eco housing development beat four other projects shortlisted for each of the titles. Shortlisted contenders for the title were judged on their use of timber throughout the development, how the homes achieved the visions of its prospective buyers, and the ways in which the team worked to achieve a seamless, defect-free project. Ian Pritchett, Managing Director of Greencore Construction, collected the prize, which was judged by a panel including members of the Structural Timber Association and the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering.
James Pritchett of Greencore Construction said: “We are thrilled to have won two of the three awards we were shortlisted for at the Structural Timber Awards. It closely follows our win at the OxProp Awards, where we were awarded Best Residential Development in Oxfordshire.
22 of the sustainable homes at Springfield Meadows are now sold with two under offer and just one available for sale. The homes, which are all net-zero energy and have a better-than-zero carbon footprint, were developed using Greencore’s Biond system.
Biond is a closed timber framed panel that is insulated with lime-hemp and wood-fibre insulation. The external wall panels lock up 32kg of CO2e per m2 of wall, so its impact on the environment out-performs almost all other construction systems.
Early buyers at Springfield Meadows had the opportunity to custom-build the design of their home, including alternative floorplans, kitchens, bathrooms, and battery storage. The development is pioneering its fully-electric car club, which is available to residents and all the houses have triple glazed windows, PV panels, and are built to the Passivhaus energy standard.
Bioregional, the environmental charity, has recognised the scheme’s attributes, awarding it One Planet Global Leader status. The certificate champions a holistic approach to new-build developments, ensuring that they are sustainable, environmentally friendly, and landscape-led to respect existing nature in the area.
The Structural Timber Awards is a flagship industry event that rewards and celebrates excellence in response to the impact of climate change and the use of sustainable structural timber systems. The awards see exponential growth each year, as the industry progresses in its battle to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector. Companies at the forefront of the industry enter to win the prestigious awards, with categories covering healthcare, social housing, engineering, and installation. It recognises the design and technology that makes these inspiring projects possible.