Modular Low Energy Neighbourhood Rises in Corby

A CLUSTER of four experimental modular eco-houses in Corby, UK, has topped out in just 34 days.

Parts of the UK are currently in the midst of a housing crisis and many new houses are still built using traditional construction methods.

Above: Foundations for the project were constructed in a traditional way (image courtesy of Project Etopia).

Cambridge based company Project Etopia has developed a standardised approach to design and construction.

The firm claim that their "off the shelf" designs make their solutions "easy and simple for planning applications, whilst still allowing for minor internal and external changes to be made".

Above: The system allows for some changes to be made to cladding and internal layouts where necessary (image courtesy of Staniforth Architects).

The houses are built using structurally insulated panels (SIPs) that consist of an insulated foam core, sandwiched between two structural boards.

This ensures high thermal performance and a faster build time. The panels are strong enough to be stacked up to 14 storeys high.

Above: The walls of the buildings are made of SIPs (image courtesy of Project Etopia).

27 more houses and 16 flats will be built as part of the development and are expected to be 30 to 40% cheaper than conventionally built residential units elsewhere in Corby.

Above: These three-storey townhouses topped out in just 34 days (image courtesy of Project Etopia).

The whole development is set to be finished and fitted out in autumn 2019.

Each house is expected to come with a number of smart features, including smart meters and energy storage.

Above: The proposed modular eco-neighbourhood in Corby (image courtesy of Staniforth Architects).

Etopia plans to produce 21,500 eco-homes by 2025 and has opened a factory that can produce up to 2,000 residential units annually.