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Cub’s article in ‘Building Tomorrow’ magazine.

Posted on 22/10/2010

Download full article here (PDF 709KB)

In an exclusive interview with Building Tomorrow, property developer Charlie Greig, founder of Cube Housing Solutions Ltd, discusses her Cub housing concept which takes modular sustainable living to another level.

“So innovative are these iconic, 21st Century living homes that the three-bedroom demonstration house was issued with a Pre Design Stage Certificate for Code Level 5 before being sited at the BRE Innovation Park, earlier this year.
It is hard to imagine that the concept, incorporating new building methods, proven sustainability and exceptionally low running costs was conceived by one woman who, in just 10 months, has single handedly researched, developed, designed, created and brought ‘Cub’ to market.” Read more…

Cub made it into IDFX Magazine

Posted on 19/10/2010

Download article here (PDF 328KB)
Rebecca Hoh of IDFX Magazine wrote an article for their October 2010 issue about Charlie Greig and her inspirations for Cub Homes…
“Interior designer Charlie Grieg is one of the names to watch in the world of sustainable housing. After a successful career in fashion retail, she moved into property 15 years ago and has built up an impressive portfolio of residential projects for clients such as former Spice Girl Emma Bunton. Greig and her team of three designers, based in her studio in north- west London, began to focus on eco homes just over a year ago and have created an off-the- shelf, modular housing solution called Cub Homes. It has already been certified to Sustainability Code Level 5 and is covered by the National House-Building Council’s Building Control Type Approval, something that will be on developers’ minds next October when every new building will have to comply to Code Level 4.” Read more

View Cub’s Carbon Hub Report

Posted on 12/10/2010

Download our Carbon Hub Report here (PDF 1.3MB)

Outline energy strategy
The FutureForm building system Uses 65-90% recycled steel frame construction methods with high levels of insulation. Exhaust air heat pumps powered by the PV system achieves 100% reduction in CO2 emissions over part L2006.

Envelope

  • Walls: U = 0.21 W/m2 Mineral wool inserted in the steel frame and 90mm Kingspan insulation fitted externally.
  • Roof: U = 0.16 W/m2 Kingspan 90mm insulation laid over Tyvek membrane taped and sealed to minimise heat loss. Sarnafil roof system provides a watertight solution.
  • Windows: U = 1.2/1.3 W/m2K Double-glazed with low e glass, argon gas filled with fibreglass frame and mirror tint for daylight privacy.
  • Air permeability: 2.95 m3/m2/hr at 50 Pa

Off-site manufacture allows an airtight envelope to be installed minimising air leakage. Sealed fibreglass window units assist in creating an airtight seal.

  • Low impact heat and power: A Nilan air exhaust heat pump runs the ventilation and hot water with an additional cooling facility of 8% lower than the external temperature which is powered by the PV system.
  • PV panels: 41m of PV on SW facing flat roof mounted on an aluminium substructure and Latchways support post system provides energy for hot water, ventilation and heating for £56.00PA.

Cub is shortlisted for Edie’s Awards for Environmental Excellence 2010

Posted on 30/07/2010


Edie’s Awards for Environmental Excellence today (July 28) announce the Project Award shortlist for the 2010 event.

The short-listing for the 2010 Project Awards was one of the toughest ever with a record breaking number of entries demonstrating the incredibly high standard of today’s environmental projects.

The shortlist for Cub’s Sustainable Construction catagory can be viewed by clicking here or scrolling down this story to the relevant section.

This truly was a bumper year for award entries and the people behind every project to be shortlisted should be justifiably proud of their achievement.

And commiserations to everyone who missed out this year it was an incredibly tough competition and not getting shortlisted should not be seen as a failure of the project, more a sign of the growing strength of the environmental market.

Waste and Recycling

  • Advantage West Midlands (AWM’s) landfill diversion infrastructure
  • Bosch Thermotechnology Ltd 100% recycled boilers scheme
  • British Retail Consortium (BRC’s) on pack recycling label
  • Marks and Spencer, Severnside Recycling, Shanks Waste Management Ltd and Helistrat Management Services delivering on Plan A
  • National Magazine Company’s waste reduction and recycling programme
  • PRUPIM’s sustainable shopping centres
  • Verdant & South Oxfordshire & Vale of White Horse District Council’s procurement partnership

Sustainable Transport

  • ADAS’ reducing business travel green house gas emissions
  • British Telecom (BT’s) emissions cuts
  • B9 Shipping’s fossil free fuel and dry bulk cargo ships
  • Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators (CABLED) & Arup low carbon vehicle demonstration scheme
  • Natural England transport emissions cuts
  • Think EV electric urban vehicles

Water and Wastewater

  • Bathroom Manufacturers Association’s The Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme
  • Greenvale AP’s cutting water use in potato industry
  • Mott MacDonald’s Water Resources Demand Management Assistance project
  • Race Cottam Associates for Wessex Water Services’ £25M green rebuild of a water treatment plant
  • Southern Water’s Blooming schools campaign
  • Talisman Communications’ water reduction across 12 water companies shorter shower campaign

Renewable Energy

  • Arup’s Esholt Wastewater Treatment Works
  • A1 Housing’s greening properties in Bassetlaw
  • Fernbrook Bio’s Rothwell Lodge Farm Anaerobic Digestion Plant
  • Imtech Process UK’s largest AD plant for Anglican Water
  • Oxford Catalysts Group’s biomass gasification facility
  • University of York & Arup sustainable energy and utilities strategy

Local Government Initiative

  • Amey & Central Bedfordshire Council sustainable roads scheme
  • East Lothian Council’s PrintSmart
  • Enterprise Islington Partnership’s Driving Environmental Excellence
  • Essex County Council’s Sustainable Essex Partnership
  • Leicester City Council’s Greening the Laughs
  • London Development Agency & Arup’s Decentralised Energy Master Planning programme

Green Retail Initiative

  • AB Sustain Waitrose’s WildCare scheme
  • MT TFM & Tesco’s MITIE lighting innovation
  • Marks and Spencer’s Hanger Reuse initiative
  • The Green House Hotel’s carbon neutral accommodation
  • Moto Hospitality’s energy reduction scheme
  • Wiles Greenworld’s combined delivery and recycling collection scheme

Green Corporate Initiative

  • BPR Group Paper Round’s Walking the Talk
  • Finning UK’s eco driving training
  • Metropolitan Police Service’s Mainstreaming Responsible Procurement
  • Polythene UK’s 100% recycled bags, covers, tubes and much more
  • UESL /Gala Gala Coral Group’s energy reduction scheme
  • 1E’s green IT and PC power management

Carbon Reduction

  • ADAS UK & Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) low carbon footprinting tool
  • AEA’s greening government department’s supply routes
  • Anyvan.com’s delivery auction scheme
  • International Synergies’ National Industrial Symbiosis Programme
  • May Gurney’s Carbon Reduction Programme
  • Metropolitan Police Service’s Carbon Reduction Programmes

Sustainable Construction

  • Aspire Defence’s Ministry of Defence’s Project Allenby/Connaught
  • Cube Housing Solutions’ Cub Homes
  • Mott MacDonald’s Darwin Centre Phase 2
  • Sainsbury’s and Arup’s green laboratory
  • Scott Wilson’s new Brent Civic Centre
  • Sinclair Knight Merz/ SKM Enviros’ MediaCityUK

BRE Innovation Park community in May

Posted on 28/05/2010

The ultra-modern, highly sustainable and factory-manufactured Cub house joined the BRE Innovation Park community in May 2010, after being launched to great acclaim at the Ideal Home Show.

The brainchild of property developer Charlie Greig, this modular home has been designed to Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and is suitable for both social and private housing. It is manufactured by UK-based company FutureForm, and designed to meet Lifetime Homes and Secured by Design standards. The house also has NHBC Building Control Type Approval, and the necessary accreditation for mortgage lenders and insurers. Read more here…

Cub’s Code 5 Certification

Posted on 27/05/2010


Download full certificate here (PDF 55kb)
The Code is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new homes. The Code aims to reduce our carbon emissions and create homes that are more sustainable. The Code measures the sustainability of a new home against nine categories of sustainable design, rating the ‘whole home’ as a complete package. The Code uses a one to six star rating system to communicate the overall sustainability performance of a new home. The Code sets minimum standards for energy and water use at each level and, within England, replaces the EcoHomes scheme, developed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE). Read more here

CUB House at BRE – YouTube Video

Posted on 27/05/2010

Peter White interviews Charlie Greig inside the Cub House at the BRE Innovation Park.

Is this the House of the Future?

Posted on 26/05/2010

Simon Gompertz infront of our 3 bedroom Cub at the BRE.

(VIEW VIDEO) Cub’s director Charlie Greig had the pleasure of being interviewed by BBC’s Simon Gompertz who visited the BRE Innovation park in Watford. Click here to view the video on BBC’s Working Lunch website. (Broadcasted on: BBC Two, 12:30pm Tuesday 25th May 2010)

The Inspiration for Cub House made the final cut!

Posted on 17/05/2010


The original inspiration for Cub made it to the finals for the Grand Designs Awards – Best Redesign.

After many years of working for clients creating stunning homes, Charlie wanted to create a home for her and her daughter Tatum that pushed the boundaries not only in architectural design, but that would sit well within an urban location, using sustainable technologies.  The site she found fitted her brief and she instantly knew this 60’s style property would lend itself to the scheme she had in mind.  Inglis Badrashi Loddo Architects were appointed to make it technically possible and her Miami style villa became a reality in just over a year.

This home became the template for Cub homes due to the admiration it received from visitors of all ages.  Now everyone has the opportunity of owning a affordable, sustainable version of this jewel in a crown.  It shows that modern architecture done well can sit in any environment, which is the message we wish to convey to planners nationwide.
No local opposition was received from neighbours… only admiration! Download Mail on Sunday Article

We now live at the BRE.

Posted on 12/05/2010

Cub now lives at the BRE! Our 2 storey 3 bedroom house can be found on the grounds of the Building Research Establishment Innovation Park. The doors opened for public viewing on the 12th May and appointments can be made through info@cubhousingsolutions.com. BRE is an independent and impartial, research-based consultancy, testing and training organisation, offering expertise in every aspect of the built environment and associated industries. They help clients create better, safer and more sustainable products, buildings, communities and businesses – and support the innovation needed to achieve this. Read more…