Arc-tech (Scotland) has hosted the leader of the City of Edinburgh Council to the site of their flagship, net zero carbon housing development in Granton.

Councillor Cammy Day met representatives from the Edinburgh Home Demonstrator Programme, a Scottish Government-backed initiative that is being supported by industry and academic bodies who are researching and developing an innovative approach to building affordable net zero carbon homes at scale within the Edinburgh and Southeast City Deal Region.

The first pilot project of the programme is Granton D1, a 75-home development located on Waterfront Broadway that will form part of the £1.3bn Granton Waterfront Regeneration Framework.

City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cammy Day, said: "The future of housebuilding is happening here in Edinburgh, where we are proud to lead the biggest and most innovative net zero carbon development in the country.

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"The pilot itself is helping to create and support jobs in green industries like offsite sustainable manufacturing. This is exciting to see and something our wider regeneration of Granton will build on.

"What we are doing with our partners at the Granton Waterfront is truly trailblazing and will see the community become a test bed for future innovation, skills development and much-needed employment opportunities – all while pioneering 75 new net zero carbon affordable homes.”

Led by the City of Edinburgh Council and Main Contractor CCG (Scotland), the first homes are now under construction and will soon be supported by Arc-Tech (Scotland).

To achieve net zero carbon, the homes are being constructed to an advanced standard of build whereby the enhanced fabric will minimise heat loss – as a result of improved airtightness – and in turn, reduce the occupier's energy demand.

The homes, comprising one, two, and three-bedroom flats, will be powered by a hugely innovative and bespoke zero-emissions energy strategy which has been designed by Arc-Tech in partnership with Hawthorne Boyle and energy consultancy, Carbon Futures.

This includes a combined Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) and Water Source Heat Pump (WSHP) energy system that will function similarly to a conventional district heating network and will be located within a specially-designed energy centre as well as 6 solar PV panel systems.

The EHD programme is delivered by multiple stakeholders including Anderson Bell + Christie, G3 Consulting Engineers, Offsite Solutions Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University, the University of Edinburgh, Scottish Futures Trust, and Built Environment – Smarter Transformation Scotland – BE-ST.

Granton D1 is set for completion in February 2024. Find out more about our Services package HERE.