Drawing on my experience across responsive repairs, new build, and now surveying, I’m developing a concept for a truly sustainable, resilient, and user-friendly social housing block — designed from the ground up to be easy to maintain and difficult to damage.
Some of the key features include:
Multi-functional balconies that act as access scaffolds for maintenance, while also providing amenity space, emergancy egress and solar shading
Vertical solar PV panels integrated into South, West, and South-facing balcony cladding
Centralised rear service zones, allowing for easy access to plumbing, electrics, and comms, reducing disruption and risk of water damage
Accessible roof design, with external gutters (not built into the walls) and safe access from balconies
Optimised glazing, with large South-facing windows for solar gain and smaller North-facing openings to minimise heat loss
Passivhaus-standard construction, incorporating MVHR with both heating and cooling, easily accessible from communal service risers
Ground source heat pump, pre-heating hot water for individual units to reduce energy use and simplify mechanical systems
The goal is to make life easier for both residents and maintenance teams, while pushing the boundaries of what sustainable housing can be.
kando.co.uk 
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