Dandara Eastern has achieved a significant milestone in integrating sustainability within their homes, with Spinning Fields in Braintree, Essex, developed by Dandara for Packaged Living, becoming the first of the housebuilder’s developments to receive a Home Quality Mark (HQM) award.
The development of 139 two and three bedroom private rental homes was awarded an impressive 3 stars for sustainability by prestigious awarding body the BRE (Building Research Establishment).
The 3-star rating requires a high level of performance across the three broad sustainability themes that make up the HQM assessment. These include cost, wellbeing and footprint. Within each area, numerous categories focus on improving performance related matters such as energy use, sustainable transport, comfort, water and construction impacts.
Spinning Fields scored strongly thanks to the use of energy saving measures such as air source heat pumps, EV charging points, modern electric-only energy heating and smart thermostats. All of the homes are EPC B-rated, ensuring they have low carbon emissions and are efficient to run.
The popular development also impressed assessors with its communal green spaces, including a Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play, pond and expansive meadow areas designed to enhance green space and biodiversity.
Andrew Wickett, Managing Director, at Dandara Eastern said:
“This certification marks a significant milestone for Dandara and reinforces our commitment to ESG principles. Spinning Fields has been thoughtfully designed to meet the demand for high quality rental housing across Essex, while supporting the area’s natural environment, making it an incredibly attractive development. We hope this is the first of many such certifications for Dandara.”
Holly Driscoll, Operations Manager, at Packaged Living said:
“The new homes at Spinning Fields have exceeded our expectations in every respect. Our residents particularly love the peaceful surroundings, the high-quality design, and the range of sustainable features incorporated into each property. The abundance of green space has also been a key factor in their decision-making, offering a countryside setting while remaining just a short drive from Braintree.”
Spinning Fields is one of five single family housing developments to be delivered by Dandara in partnership with Packaged Living. They are located in Dartford, Houghton Regis and Milton Keynes, where there are two developments.
Home Quality Mark is BRE’s (Building Research Establishment) certification system, tailored specifically for UK residential projects. HQM assesses and certifies the sustainability and quality of new homes, offering a reliable, independent evaluation.
Dandara continues to showcase the significant strides it’s taking as a business to reduce its impact on the environment and the benefit that brings to local communities. The business will publish its Net Zero Carbon strategy later this year. This Strategy will establish a practical, company-specific roadmap to reduce emissions while maintaining housing delivery targets and improving home quality and performance.