Local MP Hilary Benn has helped to celebrate Greenhouse’s first birthday with the pioneering low-carbon development’s residents and guests during ‘Eco-toberfest’ themed celebrations.
The UK’s greenest high-tech homes and offices in Beeston opened its doors on Friday 30th September and Saturday 1st October, to tell the story of Greenhouse, one year on. Greenhouse sustainable developer Citu commissioned a video to showcase Greenhouse’s Green Champions which was played before Hilary Benn addressed Citu and guests on Saturday.
Mr Benn, who officially launched Greenhouse last year, said:
“I’ve been an MP for 12 years and I always used to ask what would happen to Shaftesbury House. I’m delighted that Citu had the audacity to look at this building, which had been pioneering in the 1930s, and say ‘we think we can produce something quite extraordinary here’.
“You’ve shown green living can be done, as the greatest problem at the moment is people thinking that it can’t be done, thinking changing everyone’s lifestyle is too difficult. I say come to Greenhouse and see that it is possible, and it’s fun, and it’s successful.
“Bricks and mortar are of course important but what makes a home is the relationship we have with each other. Citu are in the process of creating a community and I can’t say enough how important that is. A strong community that people feel part of is what makes Greenhouse so successful.”
From eco-market stalls hosted in the courtyard, to behind the scenes tours showcasing how energy is saved and solar power is used, ‘Eco-toberfest’ was a celebration of green living.
On both Friday and Saturday behind the scenes tours explained how 1930s Shaftesbury House was transformed, giving guests the opportunity to see how rain water flushes loos, solar panels heat water and wind turbines generate energy to make cups of tea.
Guests heard how rainwater harvesting at Greenhouse has saved over 1.5 olympic swimming pools of water and the solar panels have heated over 27,000 showers. Each apartment has saved over 1ton of CO2 – the equivalent of 1000 bags of sugar.
Alongside all of this guests enjoyed sampling authentic Bavarian beer courtesy of Leeds very own Bierkeller, Bavarian style food from the Greenhouse Deli and were treated to entertainment from a live Oompah band.
Greenhouse has 166 1, 2 and 3 bed apartments, 13,000 sqft of office space, Greenspace – the Yorkshire’s greenest conferencing and events centre and an on-site Apart-Hotel. For more information about living, working or staying at Greenhouse visit www.greenhouseleeds.co.uk
