Located in the historic city of Bath, Ralph Allen Yard is a new mixed-use housing complex that features a mining interpretation center. Designed by Hewitt Studios, the sustainable housing project rehabilitated a brownfield site that was once a quarry for the stone from which Bath was built. Ralph Allen Yard was built using prefabricated, super-insulated, timber-frame technology, and it incorporates a green roof and solar energy.
Ralph Allen Yard is located in Combe Down, an area in the southern part of Bath that is well known as the source of the stone from which the city was built. To celebrate this rich history, the mixed-use project features the Ralph Allen CornerStone Centre, an educational facility where visitors can learn about mining and stone quarrying in the area. Also included in the project are eight single family homes and one apartment building.
Built on a former brownfield site, Ralph Allen Yard seeks to respect the heritage of the site while promoting sustainability. The project was built with a high level of insulation, triple-paned windows, high efficiency gas-condensing boilers, LED lighting, and energy-efficient appliances. Materials were sourced locally, and the buildings are topped with living roofs planted with sedum that work to collect rainwater. Solar orientation, shading, and thermal mass all help to reduce energy use, while a rooftop photovoltaic system provides all of the electricity needed by the development, making it zero carbon.
The interpretation center is rated BREEAM Very Good, and the homes are all built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5. In addition, the project was also awarded a SILVER 2014 Green Apple Sustainability Award and was highly commended in the 2013 HouseBuilder Awards.
Images ©Hewitt Studios