Dovehouse Court Almshouses in Girton is a Passivhaus residential development designed to provide accessible housing for residents over the age of 55. Delivered for Girton Town Charity, the scheme includes 15 one-bedroom homes arranged across bungalows and apartment buildings, creating a community-focused environment designed to support independent living.

The project was delivered using a bespoke timber frame solution designed, manufactured and installed by STA member Lowfield Timber Frames. The development uses a pre-manufactured Larsen Truss timber system with 300mm truss frames to achieve high levels of insulation, airtightness and thermal performance in line with Passivhaus standards.

Timber frame construction supported a fabric-first approach focused on reducing operational energy demand and improving resident comfort. The system incorporated blown Warmcel insulation alongside thermally efficient timber components designed to minimise thermal bridging and reduce heating requirements. The completed homes achieved airtightness levels of 0.6 ach at 50 pascals, supporting strong energy performance and lower running costs for residents.

Projects such as Dovehouse Court demonstrate how timber frame construction can support the delivery of accessible, energy-efficient residential developments while enabling high levels of environmental performance. The use of offsite-manufactured timber systems also helped support efficient construction and adaptable housing layouts designed to respond to residents’ changing accessibility needs over time.