\n
Architect\u2019s view<\/h2>\n
Plashet Road was the first Passivhaus scheme for many on the project team. An early decision was taken to make the building as responsive to Passivhaus principles as possible, letting these inform the design as it developed.<\/p>\n
Conceived as a courtyard development, initially the living spaces and balconies faced on to the courtyard, with access decks wrapping around the outer perimeter. A fundamental design decision was taken in response to Passivhaus principles to flip the arrangement so the majority of living spaces and balconies instead faced west or south, with access decks facing east or north.<\/p>\n
This optimised the layouts in response to the sun’s path around the building, with living spaces benefiting from solar gain in winter months and higher daylight levels, balconies benefiting from a sunnier aspect at times they are more likely to be used, and access decks in locations where these benefits are less critical.<\/p>\n
This arrangement also brings more activity to the courtyard and reduces the lengths of access decks while ensuring active street frontages.
\n<\/em>Nicola Jaques, associate, Levitt Bernstein<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
\u00a0<\/span>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/02\/07163821\/3643A_N66_print_LB-Plashet-Rd_Kimbo-Fidelo-Sito.webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Passivhaus consultant\u2019s view<\/h2>\n
We are delighted to have been part of the design and delivery of these new Passivhaus-certified, low-carbon homes. The rigour of the Passivhaus standard helped focus on delivering a high-quality building, through quality checks of calculations, documentation and construction by the independent Passivhaus Certifier, Warm. The outcome will be low energy bills and low carbon emissions for residents over the entire life of the building.
\n<\/em>Will South, Passivhaus Designer, Etude<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
\u00a0<\/span>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/02\/07164034\/3643A_N71_print_-Plashet-Road-Levitt-Bernstein.-Photo-by-Kimbo-Fidelo-Sito-Levitt-Bernstein.webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Client\u2019s view<\/h2>\n
When Newham Council decided to redesign an existing scheme for the Plashet Road site in West Ham, opportunities arose for a refreshed client brief, to create a more efficient development and to provide homes that would be aligned with the council\u2019s emerging energy strategy.<\/p>\n
The design phase was characterised by a very intensive period of meetings between the client\u2019s design and cost consultants and the design team members, exploring and navigating principles of Passivhaus, complex details and specifications.<\/p>\n
It was a steep learning curve for many, and at the same time extremely enjoyable working with Levitt Bernstein and the energy consultant Etude, which threw their collective knowledge and enthusiasm into it to deliver a very energy-efficient scheme at large scale. The reward for their hard work is the recently received Passivhaus certificate.
\nGeertje Kreuziger, e<\/em>x-design adviser to Newham Council, (<\/em>worked on the Plashet Road scheme from inception to planning application submission)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
\u00a0<\/span>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.rt.emap.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/02\/07165242\/Levitt-Bernstein-Plashet-Road-Drawings_13.01.2025_Page_01.webp\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\nProject data<\/h2>\n
Start on site<\/strong> March 2021
\nCompletion\u00a0date<\/strong> January 2024
\nGross internal floor area<\/strong> 6,559m2<\/sup>
\nGross (internal + external) floor area<\/strong> 7,411m2<\/sup>
\nSite area<\/strong> 4,093m2<\/sup>
\nForm of contract or procurement route<\/strong> Design and Build
\nConstruction cost<\/strong> Undisclosed
\nArchitect<\/strong> Levitt Bernstein
\nClient<\/strong> London Borough of Newham
\nStructural engineer<\/strong> Heyne Tillett Steel
\nM&E consultant<\/strong> Max Fordham
\nQuantity surveyor<\/strong> Philip Pank Partnership
\nPassivhaus consultant<\/strong> Etude
\nSustainability consultant<\/strong> XC02
\nDaylight consultant<\/strong> XC02
\nFire consultant<\/strong> Joule Group
\nLandscape consultant<\/strong> Levitt Bernstein
\nAcoustic consultant<\/strong> Max Fordham
\nProject manager <\/strong>Role carried out by London Borough of Newham
\nPrincipal designer<\/strong> Levitt Bernstein
\nCDM coordinator<\/strong> Role carried out by London Borough of Newham
\nBuilding control<\/strong> Newham Building Control
\nMain contractor<\/strong> Bugler Developments
\nCAD software used<\/strong> Revit
\nNB: The project team listed is the pre-planning team. Levitt Bernstein and Etude were the only consultants to continue post-planning, working for the contractor along with their delivery team.<\/p>\nEnvironmental performance data<\/h2>\n
Space heating demand<\/strong> 19.1 kWh\/m2<\/sup>\/yr
\nHeat load<\/strong> 9.9 W\/m2<\/sup>
\nEnergy use intensity (EUI)<\/strong> 48.8 kWh\/m2<\/sup>\/yr
\nAirtightness at 50pa<\/strong> 0.86 m3<\/sup>\/h.m2<\/sup>
\nOn-site energy generation<\/strong> 0%
\nOverall area-weighted u-value (including windows and doors)<\/strong> 0.335 w\/m2<\/sup>k
\nOverall area-weighted u-value (excluding windows and doors)<\/strong> 0.121 w\/m2<\/sup>k
\nAnnual CO2<\/sub> emissions<\/strong> 2.0 kgCO2<\/sub>\/m2<\/sup><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Completed for the London Borough of Newham, the Plashet Road housing complex consists of 100 per cent affordable dwellings, 74 per cent of which are family units. \u00a0 Levitt Bernstein\u2019s first social housing project designed to Passivhaus standards has achieved Passivhaus Classic certification \u2013 a first for a scheme delivered by Newham Council. The site …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32845,"featured_media":773653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[706],"tags":[98067,2357,101490,1542,2292],"yoast_head":"\n
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