The Lancaster Park development, which is made up of a mix of three and four-bedroom, semi-detached and detached Passivhaus LEB family homes, is the largest certified developer-led Passivhaus residential project in the whole of the UK and Ireland.
The development, which, once complete, will comprise of over 219 low-energy and near-zero carbon homes, and has attracted huge interest and buyer demand since it came to market in August 2021. The recent phase sold out within hours of going on sale with the next phase due for release imminently. Fraser Millar’s sustainable building methods and the use of cutting-edge design and technology to cleverly reduce both costs and environmental impact impressed the expert Property Pal judges.
Developer David Millar said: “We are delighted that both the company and indeed Lancaster Park’s eco-credentials have been recognised with these fantastic awards. Thanks to the Passivhaus design methods, including enhanced insulation and airtight sealing, Lancaster Park is the first major development in Northern Ireland to boast an EPC A rating. This means residents enjoy optimum energy efficiency, unrivalled in any other development of its size in Northern Ireland.
“All properties in the development are superbly insulated and are leading the way with excellent air tightness qualities complemented and supported with a fresh-air filtration system that ensures a healthier living experience for homeowners.
“In this flagship development, we have practically eradicated the reliance on fossil fuels. Instead, we have utilised the latest technology to help keep our properties warm all year round without ever-fluctuating fuel prices. Passivhaus homes routinely reduce home heating bills by 75%-90% when compared to current building regulations. These savings help ordinary homeowners to alleviate the cost of living increases we are seeing today, due to the energy crisis. As a further extension of that commitment, the latest phase all feature PV solar panels as standard.”
Homes in the Lancaster Park development are considerably less expensive to run because of the implementation of Passivhaus design principles. They also do not use any fossil fuel burners, such as gas or oil, helping to reduce the owner’s carbon footprint. Residents also benefit from a consistent stream of filtered fresh air pumped through the ventilation system, which helps to remove indoor toxins, thus reducing the effects of allergies and respiratory ailments.
The Property Pal judging panel recognised Fraser Millar’s future-facing approach and ability to respond to what modern house buyers want while reducing negative environmental impacts. Although these new homes are built with cutting-edge insulation and heating technology, there’s certainly been no compromise on style or design. Stylish, modern homes located in lush, green wide-open spaces, play park facilities for children, and proximity to the city make Lancaster Park a shining example of how housing developments can and should be.
David said: “We are always looking for new, innovative and pioneering ways of doing things. Passivhaus design principles have been in existence for over 30 years and yet only a small handful of properties in Northern Ireland are Passive houses. Fraser Millar don’t accept that Passivhaus should be for the wealthy self-builder and are bringing the design principles to the ordinary working family in large developments so that they can also enjoy the financial and health benefits of Passivhaus. All our new homes are certified by external inspectors ensuring that our clients can have complete confidence in our innovative practices.
“Lancaster Park is the future of house building, and we will continue to work hard to be pioneers of sustainability and affordability in Northern Ireland. Homebuyer demand means the next phase of the development is being released imminently with considerable interest across the board and predictions that the homes will all be sold within hours or days of release like the first two phases.
“We are proud that these awards recognise our vision and investment. We hope the success of this development will inspire others to build sustainability into their home-building projects.”
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