Park Street Lane
Western Red Cedar
Park Street Lane is a project by Surreal Estate Ltd that in many ways goes against the grain of typical homebuilding. With combined years of experience working in the building industry, Troy & James set out to reimagine the concept of a family home in a way that makes better sense in a world striving for sustainability. Frustrated that opportunities to do this aren’t always taken, the pair decided to embark on a project in order to show exactly how it can be done.
This project consists of three family homes set into two acres of woodland. The houses were designed to encompass typical family living, be contemporary in style, and considered in their construction method. One of the main goals for this project was to ensure that the homes met high standards for energy efficiency. The developers achieved this through clever design, two of the houses are devised upside down – the four bedrooms on ground level, and the living spaces on the second floor – meaning the bedrooms stay desirably cool and social spaces cosier with long views across the surrounding woodland.
The rooftops are home to solar panels and the houses make use of a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system. Hot water is provided through an air source heat pump and there is triple glazing throughout the site. Incredibly the houses have an average EPC of over 112, meaning they generate more energy than they use. Park Street Lane is a project with clear intentions in regard to sustainability, and the developers are in the process of retaining both Passivhaus and BRE home quality mark certifications.
All three homes are externally clad with Millworks Western Red Cedar, selected for its sustainability credentials, natural durability, and desirable colouring. At approximately 390 kg per m3, Western Red Cedar has a low density, making it a great thermal insulator – ideal for low energy projects like this one. Western Red Cedar is also renowned for its resistance to decay and rot, thanks to naturally occurring compounds that provide a long service life.
If left uncoated, Western Red Cedar fades to a silver-grey patina, a natural process which differs depending on exposure to the elements. OrganoWood surface treatment is a silicone-based coating system that uses advanced technology for accelerated weathering, a finish that greatly appealed to James. “You get a real softening in the colour palette, which creates an interesting moving canvas.” The aesthetic evolution of Cedar adds a dynamic and timeless quality to these homes ensuring they remain visually appealing for years to come.
