UK: Apartrooms, a 10-unit serviced apartment development built to Passivhaus standards, has opened in Aberdeen.
Located in the Marywell neighbourhood, the Apartooms building was constructed off-site, as a series of prefabricated modules. The building structure was designed around Passivhaus principals, meeting rigorous energy efficient design standards to maintain an almost constant temperature.
Green measures include a super-insulated structure, floor-to-ceiling triple glazing for solar gain, mechanical ventilation heat recovery for continuous fresh filtered air and solar PV panels on the roof. Two electric car charging points are also featured in the large free car park.
The building features eight one-bedroom and two two-bedroom en-suite apartments. Each has smart technology features such as a Remotelock smart lock and voice-controlled heating, lighting and electrical appliances.
There is also a fully accessible unit designed to DDA standards for those less able, with wheel chair access throughout from the car park, and an adjoining family/carer bedroom.
Stuart Duncan, owner and designer of Apartrooms, said: “Since completing our first sustainable living house in 2015, I have been busy working on this project to launch the first Apartrooms in Scotland. My vision was to provide sustainable living at an affordable price, combining apartment and hotel style accommodation, whilst applying super energy efficient Passivhaus building techniques, and I am delighted we are here today to bring this new concept to the rental market in Aberdeen. Smart technology is transforming the way we live in this digital age and bringing this to the rental market is quite unique. We must strive for a greener way of living in the future and our ethos for Apartrooms leads the way for energy efficient living. The higher up-front costs of this design often deter commercial operators from this style of development, however, it has significant cost-saving and energy security implications for years to come. This is of major interest to local authorities across Scotland, supporting our Governments Greener Scotland objectives, helping transform our country to a smart, low carbon place to live. We have ambitious growth plans with planning permission for an additional 34 units on our first site in Aberdeen – watch this space.”
