GRAHAM has started work on Belfast’s first-ever Passivhaus-certified student accommodation, on Dublin Road on behalf of Queen’s University Belfast.

The £46million development of 459 high-quality student bedrooms will set a new standard for sustainable student living in Northern Ireland. Due to the strict standards associated with Passivhaus certification, the development will use minimal energy for heating and cooling, reducing carbon emissions, and improving comfort for occupants.

The building will consist of a concrete frame with brick and glazed facades and will incorporate mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) units and high efficiency air source heat pumps.

Spread over 16 storeys, the purpose-built managed student accommodation (PBMSA) will feature a mix of cluster apartments and studio units and will incorporate high quality amenities to support students, including meeting rooms, communal and social spaces, group dining areas, a post room, laundry and dedicated staff office and welfare facilities.

There is a growing demand for sustainable and energy-efficient construction and Passivhaus is one of the most exacting global standards. Dublin Road will be the first ultra-low emission multi-occupancy building in Belfast city centre.

Gary Holmes, managing director of GRAHAM’s Building North region, said:

“Queen’s University has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing a high-quality, energy efficient development and as a business which prioritises sustainable practices, we are pleased to have been appointed as the main contractor.”

GRAHAM has established a strong track record of constructing high-quality student accommodation in Belfast, having delivered the city’s most significant PBSA development this year at Nelson Street. The BREEAM “very good” development has recently won a Green Apple Award for sustainability due, in part, to the installation of the first two blue roofs in Northern Ireland.