SEVEN bungalows being built on the site of a former medical centre are set to become eco-homes.
The homes, on Faulkner Road, will be for social housing.
Housing Association Solihull Community Housing is building the bungalows, which are designed to Passivhaus standards.
The Passivhaus design uses ultra-low energy requirements to keep homes warm in winter and cool in summer.
Using large windows and thermal insulation, heat is regulated in the homes for minimal cost.
Other aspects of the design will prioritise access for disabled and elderly people.
In its application to Solihull Council, planning agents rg+p said: “Incorporating a Passivhaus build system is a positive adjustment to increase the energy efficiency, increase the quality and decrease the carbon footprint of the proposal.”
A spokesperson for Solihull Community Housing said: “We are exploring a number of options around the Faulkner Road site, of which Passivhaus is one. SCH remains committed to providing highly energy efficient properties at Faulkner Road with a range of low carbon measures now being considered.
“Subject to Council approval, we hope to be on site by the end of February. A project of this size will normally take 10-12 months.
“Our only previous Passivhaus project was a retrofit low rise building in Chelmsley Wood – not a new build.”
The houses will stand on the site of the Meadow Centre, a former children’s medical centre providing treatment for speech, physiotherapy and autism.
It closed in 2017 and the site is vacant, classed as a brownfield development.
