Prototype eco home to move to Rusholme after Greenbuild
An environmentally sound micro-building will be constructed in the Manchester Central exhibition hall and moved to nearby Rusholme as part of the North's largest sustainable building event, Greenbuild Expo.
Dwelle is the brainchild of Ric Frankland, a Manchester based architect and his design has already won accolades at Grand Designs and The British Homes Awards.
Frankland will be building a demonstration project in partnership with Eastlands Homes at Manchester Central for Greenbuild Expo, which is free to attend and runs on 29 and 30 June.
The 'Home Dwelle.ing' micro-building will then be moved three miles away to a site in Rusholme to become a showroom for the building system and a centre for carbon literacy.
Frankland said: "Our system aims to encourage high quality sustainable living. The idea came about, as we wanted to create small dwellings that could easily be adapted for a range of uses. We originally created 'sheds for living' and then re-branded them as dwelle."
The fully working micro buildings aim to be zero carbon and meet Passivhaus standards. Frankland added: "We will erect the main structure of the building and fit it out over two days in the exhibition hall, then present it on the third day when the show opens. As well as showcasing the design, the components and materials used it will also launch as a centre for carbon literacy.
"We will then remove the roof section and lift the entire build on to a low loader and take it down the road to a new home opposite Platt Fields in Rusholme."
Eastlands Homes and Cooler Projects CIC will develop a programme to assist residents to understand how to reduce their energy and carbon footprint. They are currently modernising six of their towers to make them more energy efficient and want to empower their residents – as part of their move to meet their carbon reduction commitment.
'Home Dwelle.ing' will be the centre for this new initiative located adjacent to Platt and Worsley Courts in Rusholme, managed by Eastlands Homes.
Greenbuild Expo is the largest sustainable building and refurbishment event in the north of the UK. The conference is specifically targeted at those working in the volume housing and non-domestic building sector, including hotel and leisure venues, offices and larger companies, as the carbon reduction commitment becomes more integral to working life.
The latest speaker to confirm attendance is James Walker from B&Q, who will talk about the company's pilot pay-as-you-save project, which aims to fund green housing refurbishment. Speakers from organisations such as BRE, Manchester City Council, Gateshead Housing and Procure Plus will also be leading seminars.
Focusing this year on sustainable refurbishment, Greenbuild Expo will examine such topics as the Code for Sustainable Homes and renewable energy.
Images by Daniel Hopkinson
