Green debate kicks off as Wright lands £1.1m deal
Birmingham building services provider JS Wright is taking green living to new heights after winning a £1.1 million contract to fit out a pioneering £13 million low energy housing scheme.
However, the property industry may be becoming too focused on the green aspects of sustainability, a new report has claimed.
Aston-based Wright is in the process of installing almost 110 square metres of solar panels for ten-storey Atlanta Boulevard in Romford for London developer Mount Anvil.
The 44 roof top panels will generate 560 kW of energy, enough to reduce the main boiler-power required to power the building's 98 apartments by more than 50 per cent to just 400 kW.
JS Wright is also installing all the standard water and heating systems for Atlanta Boulevard.
Atlanta Boulevard, being built in association with Community Housing Association, brings to £6 million the value of contracts that JS Wright has been awarded by Mount Anvil over the past two years alone.
Currently working on residential schemes at Angel Wharf and Chatham Place in London, JS Wright has already completed two phases of homes in Old Kent Road, as well as housing developments in Greenwich, Hayter Road and Windmill Lane also in London for the developer since 2006.
Marcus Aniol, JS Wright managing director, said: "We are delighted to be working on such a pioneering carbon-reducing residential project that should provide a benchmark for green living for a developer for whom we have now completed more than 20 major schemes."
But the sector may now be too focused on the green aspects of sustainability, European property consultancy Atisreal has warned.
It follows research that reveals 83 per cent of players believe that environmental issues are in danger of outweighing social and economic factors, and 91 per cent of Midlands operators say green issues must be balanced with social and economic needs of communities.
Tim Suffield, head of Atisreal's Birmingham office, said: "We are concerned that green arguments are in danger of overshadowing social and economic factors in the property industry whereby almost two thirds of property industry participants in the Midlands believe the risk of overemphasis on environmental factors over all others is 'great'.
"The environment is obviously critical but it is vitally important that all factors are taken into account when property investment, occupier and development decisions are being made.
"There may be cases whereby new 'green' buildings are actually unsustainable because of a lack of balance between green issues and social needs.
"This research shows that an over-emphasis on environmental targets could, in some cases, overshadow the need for new developments to form a sustainable part of local economies.
"There is a danger that economic development will fall second to its environmental agenda which has been well publicised."
