Sustainable housebuilder Greencore Homes’ latest development – The Canopies in Oxfordshire – sets the bar high for industry peers, providing a carbon-positive collection of homes that align with Passivhaus performance levels to go ‘better than net zero.’ Roseanne Field reports.
Sustainability and low carbon building is at the forefront of any good development, to a greater degree than ever before. With the Future Homes Standard now launched, the Government is mandating that from 2028 all new homes will have to be fitted with solar panels and heat pumps as standard.
Under the standard, the emphasis with, any new development to build in a ‘fabric first’ and eco-friendly way, homes will be created in future that will serve not only their residents, but the wider environment, for years to come by cutting carbon emissions drastically. While most developers are making a broad effort to improve sustainability – whether through their own internal policies or driven by regulations, Greencore Homes are taking it to the next level.
As their name suggests, Greencore Homes is a firm built on the principle of sustainability. Their homes offer residents future-ready energy performance and healthier, more sustainable living as well as being better for them financially, mentally and physically, and healthier for the planet. They assert that “sustainability isn’t a tick box,” and are passionate about proving exactly what is possible in new house construction. This is embodied in Greencore’s B Corp certification, which sets a legal obligation to put long term environmental impact at the centre of operations and projects.
Located just outside the village of Milton in Oxfordshire, less than 10 minutes from the well-connected commuter town of Didcot, is The Canopies, a moderately-scaled development designed to Passivhaus levels of performance, thereby showcasing what Greencore Homes (and by extension, the wider industry) can achieve.
BETTER THAN NET ZERO
Greencore Homes has a stated company goal to provide homes that are “Better Than Net Zero.” It’s thought the average UK home accounts for 60-100 tonnes of embodied carbon during construction, (and emits three to five tonnes per year when occupied). Bucking the trend, Greencore designs and builds their homes to go ‘below’ zero embodied carbon during construction, and offer net zero emissions each year of occupation.
The Canopies comprises 42 homes, conceived as a “flagship scheme to demonstrate what ‘Better Than Net Zero’ housing can deliver at scale,” explains Greencore Homes COO, Laura Stone. “From the outset, our ambition was to go beyond standard regulations and create homes that surpass energy performance standards while raising the benchmark for responsible housing.”
The project, which received £8m of funding from Homes England, “brings together aligned partners with a shared commitment to accelerating the delivery of high quality, sustainable and affordable homes, while raising the benchmark for responsible housing,” Stone says.
The masterplan – developed by HTA Design – was very much landscape-led, integrating green infrastructure and enhancing biodiversity. It also focused on improving both walking and cycling connections to fully integrate the development within the local community.
The 42 homes comprise 27 for private sale and 15 affordable – a mixture of shared ownership and ‘first homes.’ The houses span a range of one, two, three and four bedroom options, “designed to support flexible living and adapt to changing household needs,” says Stone.
This range was largely shaped by local demand, alongside viability considerations and Greencore Homes’ sustainability objectives. Despite the mix of sizes and tenures, they have been designed to be tenure blind, with the same architectural approach and high quality specification applied to all 42 properties. “This ensures a cohesive neighbourhood and reflects our commitment to delivering a genuinely mixed-tenure community,” explains Stone.
There was strong demand in the local area for a highly sustainable scheme such as this, says Greencore. Oxfordshire County Council has committed to achieving carbon neutrality across its estate and operations by 2030, meaning low carbon was the goal on new developments. This meant Greencore Homes’ offering was an ideal solution, with the joint Local Plan 2041 identifying a need for 16,530 new homes across South Oxfordshire. “The Canopies responds directly to both pressures by delivering high quality homes that meet pressing housing needs while aligning with the county’s ambitious environmental targets, offering residents future-ready energy performance and healthier, more sustainable living,” Stone says.
The team still faced some planning challenges. Although it is a brownfield site just a few minutes from Didcot railway station, gaining approval required detailed discussions about the development’s design, landscape integration, access and environmental performance.
There was a Tree Preservation Order around the site’s perimeter, which needed “careful management” and close engagement with the local authority. The trees that were retained – as well as the surrounding countryside – were ultimately used to shape the final layout of the development. “We adopted a landscape-led approach, orientating homes around green corridors and existing features rather than imposing a standard housing pattern,” Stone says.
Although there were challenges, Stone says the outcomes of the discussions were “extremely positive,” adding: “The development responds sensitively to its context, protects and enhances its natural assets, including mature trees, and ultimately delivers a stronger, more environmentally responsible scheme.”
Planning consent was secured in November 2024, followed by the Homes England funding which was secured in 2025. Construction onsite began in March 2025, with the development launching to market in Autumn 2025 and the show home opening in November 2025. The scheme is “progressing well,” says Stone, with full completion currently on track
for later in 2026.
There were several derelict homes and commercial buildings on the site which were demolished to make way for the new homes, with 99% of the materials from these reused onsite. The existing access was also carefully designed into the scheme to prevent having to remove mature trees and create a new access point.
The overall layout of the site was designed to integrate with the existing landscape. The homes have been carefully arranged to “sit comfortably within a green framework of retained trees, wildflower meadows, hedgerows and green corridors, creating a strong connection between buildings and nature while supporting wildlife,” explains Stone. This approach has contributed to the 10% biodiversity net gain requirement being met onsite.
A new public play trail and a nature walk link the development with the wider area, as well as providing accessible green spaces for both residents and visitors. There are ample pedestrian routes to connect the homes to the natural elements, encouraging outdoor activity and social interaction. Stone explains further: “The site layout prioritises wellbeing and community.”
Beyond the boundaries of the site, the development also benefits from surrounding countryside, nature trails, lakes and fields, “reinforcing its balance of sustainable living, accessibility and a strong relationship with the natural environment,” explains Stone. It also links to nearby amenities, with Didcot Parkway Station just over three miles away and Europe’s largest science and technology park (Milton Park) a 15 minute walk away.
THOUGHTFUL DESIGN SUPPORTS GREENER LIVING AT THE CANOPIES
When it came to designing how the homes would perform, maximising sustainability was front of mind for the team: “It’s the golden thread that runs through everything we do,” Stone says. “It was the clear inspiration behind the design of these homes.”
The ultimate aim was to achieve the company’s ‘better than net zero’ principle, but also building homes that would make low-carbon living “effortless” for customers, says Stone. “Combining exceptional energy efficiency with strong architectural character to deliver a genuinely futureproofed place to live.”
The orientation, form and detailing of the homes was shaped by a Passivhaus-informed fabric-first approach, to “minimise energy demand naturally,” explains Stone. “Every design decision was guided by our commitment to reducing carbon without compromising on quality, durability or aesthetics.”
Materials were an important part of the overall design process, from both aesthetic and performance perspectives. The homes were built utilising Greencore Homes’ own BIOND closed panel timber system which it manufactures at its factory in Bicester. Panels are fully insulated with natural materials, which means they “lock up” more carbon than they emit. And, the company is ultimately in control of the manufacturing from day one.
This offsite manufacturing process allows “precision engineering” to within a +/-1 mm tolerance, which means homes are airtight and watertight within approximately two weeks of the first panel being erected. It allows the company to reduce waste while simultaneously shortening programme times, improving quality control and reducing onsite risk and variability. “By replacing carbon-intensive materials such as concrete and steel with timber-based systems, we materially reduce embodied carbon while maintaining structural integrity,” says Stone.
To help reinforce the low carbon credentials of the scheme externally, the homes have been finished chiefly with timber cladding, alongside other natural materials, which also “creates warmth and visual character,” says Stone. The cladding was chosen to add visual warmth as well as “reinforce the environmental credentials,” says Stone, “ensuring sustainability is expressed not only in how they perform, but in how they look and feel.”
Sustainability features have been integrated carefully into the design of the homes, “ensuring environmental performance is embedded rather than applied,” Stone explains. Renewable technologies were also integrated within the homes to ensure they can maintain optimal energy performance and comfort all year round.
Every house includes triple glazed timber windows, highly insulated envelopes and “optimised building forms” in order to minimise heat loss, says Stone. Homes also have MVHR, air source heat pumps, wastewater heat recovery and integrated roof-mounted solar PV systems.
The combined benefits of all these features is, says Stone, “speed of construction, reduced embodied and operational carbon, improved build quality and lower running costs for residents.” “That discipline is ultimately what enables us to deliver scalable, future-ready low carbon homes without compromising on design quality.”
PASSIVHAUS PRINCIPLES
Every home on the development is built to “Passivhaus standards,” with a design driven by performance. This begins with the highly insulated building envelope alongside rigorous airtightness detailing to “dramatically reduce heat loss and overall energy demand,” explains Stone.
The MVHR system ensures a continuous supply of fresh filtered air, and captures and reuses heat that would otherwise be lost, creating a consistent level of comfort and indoor air quality. The remaining energy demand is met with low carbon technologies, such as the air source heat pump and wastewater heat recovery systems. The integrated solar PV panels generate renewable electricity onsite. “Together, these elements enable ultra-low energy use intensity and support a net zero energy balance across the development significantly reducing both carbon emissions and residents’ energy bills,” Stone explains.
While the high standards are admirable, Stone admits that setting ambitious targets inevitably “raises the bar” across every step of the development process. “It requires rigorous design discipline, early decision making and close coordination between teams, particular when aiming to outperform regulation rather than simply meet it,” she says.
Close collaboration between the designers, onsite contractors and the factory team was essential, says Stone, alongside “repeatable details and established construction processes refined over many years.” She adds: “This approach mitigated common risks associated with traditional construction and enabled high performance standards to be delivered reliably.”
For residents, the impact is purely positive, with benefits including lower energy bills and a healthier indoor air environment. Stone cites KPMG research which shows almost half of UK adults would prefer to buy a low carbon home, and that 63% believe households should reduce emissions, and JLL data reporting 70% of people rate energy efficiency as more important than a year ago. “It highlights the growing expectation that homes deliver not just design quality but tangible environmental and wellbeing performance,” she says.
LANDSCAPING & BIODIVERSITY
The emphasis on sustainability meant landscaping was a “fundamental component” of the overall design at The Canopies, “treated as a primary driver rather than an add-on,” explains Stone. “The layout responds to the site’s existing ecology, retaining mature trees and shaping the scheme around established natural features, rather than imposing a rigid housing pattern.”
The ecological strategy was designed to go hand in hand with the natural materials and low-impact construction. “The result is a neighbourhood where built form and landscape work together – supporting wildlife, enhancing wellbeing and reinforcing our commitment to low-carbon living,” says Stone.
As well as enhancing the site’s biodiversity, the woodland walks encourage residents to get outdoors and be active, and interact socially with neighbours. The outdoor spaces are all accessible not only for residents but to the wider community – an intentional choice to help connect the development to the local community rather than it being a “closed residential enclave,” says Stone. “The result is a development where green infrastructure supports wellbeing, ecology and placemaking while also helping to manage drainage, microclimate and long-term environmental resilience.”
THE FUTURE OF HOUSEBUILDING
Targeting low energy use isn’t decided on a per-development basis for Greencore Homes: “It was made at the very inception of the business,” says Stone. “Greencore was founded with a clear mission: to create climate-positive places and prove that housebuilding can and must be part of the solution to the climate crisis.”
It’s Stone’s belief that perceived high cost and delivery confidence is the “wider challenge” for the industry to address. “They can be viewed as higher risk or more complex, particularly where supply chains and processes are not aligned around performance outcomes,” she says.
Greencore Homes has omitted this risk by embedding the principles in its business strategy since inception, with an approach that “ensures environmental performance and financial viability are considered together, not in conflict.” Independent analysis by Savills Earth has indicated that an average Greencore home generates around £50,000 of added ‘social value.’ “That evidence reinforces our belief that ambitious sustainability targets are not a burden to overcome, but a long term value driver for residents, communities and investors alike.”
Despite the reservations many developers have to pursuing the higher reaches of sustainability, Greencore has found the impact for their residents to be “overwhelmingly positive.” Stone says the homes are “intuitive” for residents, with their sustainability features largely “working in the background.” It also means homes are futureproofed against changing regulations and rising energy costs. “Buyers are increasingly looking beyond aesthetics alone,” says Stone. “They want homes that are quieter, warmer in winter, cooler in summer and cheaper to run; the combination of comfort, cost certainty and environmental responsibility makes sustainable homes not only attractive, but increasingly expected.”
The reaction to The Canopies has been very positive from both the local community and stakeholders, it having understandably garnered a strong local interest. Abingdon’s Mayor Rawda Jehanli praised Greencore’s commitment to addressing local housing needs but also environmental priorities. “That endorsement reflected the broader sentiment we’ve seen – recognition that sustainable development can support growth while responsibly responding to climate and community objectives,” says Stone.
Greencore has plans to deliver 10,000 homes by 2035, a challenging goal for high performing sustainability. The company intends to continually refine its designs, material choices and push performance standards in order to “show that high quality, low carbon housing is not niche or experimental – it’s practical, and scalable; the future of responsible housebuilding.”