Buckland Road

Six environmentally positive apartments for disabled people with independent assisted living have achieved 6 and 7 Homestar certifications.

The thoughtfully designed dwellings offer sustainable housing for a sector of the community often overlooked.

Essentials 

What: Six purpose-built independent units; in a small-scale two storey-building; two x two-bedroom units, four x one-bedroom units; common cupboards, stairs and hallways; ground floor apartments with backyards.

Building occupancy: Six-eight people
Address: Buckland Road, Māngere East, Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau
Project certification: 6 Homestar certification (v4.1) two apartments; 7 Homestar certification (v4.1) four apartments

Project Snapshot 

Owner: Homes of Choice

What: A community housing provider; committed to delivering innovative, accessible, affordable homes for disabled people; partner to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development; subsidiary of Spectrum Foundation; sister organisation to Spectrum Care (to whom 94 percent of its property is leased)

Site: Homes of Choice long-term hold; site subdivided from larger parcel of land; close to Middlemore Hospital; good public transport links; proximity to other Homes of Choice disability support sites

Architect: TT Architecture

Main contractor: Mike Greer Commercial

Project manager: Aegis Projects

Homestar consultant: Eion Scott

Project timeline: Construction July 2023; completion March 2024; occupancy April/May 2024

Homes of Choice is an articulate voice in the conversation about inspirational housing for disabled people in Aotearoa.

“We have a deep connection to the needs of disabled people and their whānau,” says Homes of Choice General Manager Ratenesh Sharma. “In a world where disabled people have limited housing options, we’re determined to make a difference.”

The community housing provider’s success in delivering that difference resonates at the new Buckland Road development – a project comprising six modern, light-filled, sustainable apartments in a functional, attractive building.

The apartment block’s modest façade materials are configured to provide a simple and elegant massing arrangement, featuring high levels of insulation for its occupants.

Ratenesh says Homes of Choice is committed to Universal Design – a design vocabulary creating environments which are accessible to all disabled people.

The Buckland Road development features:

• wider accessways and thresholds

• level transition zones both inside and outside buildings

• lever door and window handles

• drawers instead of cupboards to allow easy access

• easy-to-use drawer handles

• good task lighting in utility zones

• non-slip flooring

• resilience

He says one of the community housing provider’s core values is ‘Sustainability (Ka ora) – We do what’s best.’

Homestar is a natural fit with its vision and the tool was central to the project from the outset.

“We took into consideration our responsibilities towards the environment as well as the people who will be living here. A Homestar rating says, ‘We care and want to do our best’.”

 Ratenesh says while Homestar certification across the six apartments added some additional cost to the project, it has been a success story.

“For community housing providers, it’s not always initially financially viable. However, I would say to any developer thinking of using Homestar, it’s worth this investment considering the long-term ownership of community housing properties.”

He says Homestar sets them apart from other community providers and, as the tool matures, it’ll have a positive impact on the valuation of these properties.

TT Architecture lead for the Buckland Road project Richard Tam says designing to Homestar standard was integral to the design process.

 “Our key inspiration was enriching people’s lives – that’s what drives us to design these projects. Our end goal was to deliver warm, safe and robust homes for the new occupants.”

He hopes the Buckland Road development signposts future housing solutions for disabled people in Aotearoa.

 “Irrespective of budget, scale, location and purpose, housing for those most in need should always be both environmentally and socially sustainable.”

 Homestar consultant Eion Scott says while two apartments situated in the middle of the building achieved 6 Homestar ratings, the four end apartments achieved 7 Homestar ratings.

“The different ratings reflect that the middle units have fewer windows, so did not achieve 7 Homestar moisture management minimums. The end units, with more windows, had the ability to passively cross ventilate to reduce moisture build up.”

Eion says key sustainable features include:

• high levels of insulation, including slab edge insulation

• thermally broken joinery and intertenancy walls

• very efficient showers and tapware

• warmer, drier spaces with lower energy bills

• provision of kitchen recycling bins etc

• reduced waste during construction

• resource efficiency – six dwellings built on a site previously occupied by one.

Eion says the willingness of the client and their builder to follow the recommendations of Homestar and achieve Homestar standards has been one of the most impressive features of the project.

Project manager from Aegis Projects Rob Bernstein says of the development:

• Homestar requirements were made clear in advance of the build and incorporated into the design. This made implementation generally straightforward.

• The achievement of compliance for both NZGBC and Homestar requirements can sometimes be hard to achieve – this was our biggest triumph.

• Working with Mike Greer Commercial (MGC) as the main contractor on this project has been extremely beneficial. They have a proven track record, having obtained Homestar certification for over 390 homes previously.

• Craig Potter, MGC construction manager and the MGC team’s expertise ensured the implementation of the correct on-site methodologies, including the diversion of waste from landfills, the use of energy-efficient hardware, and the incorporation of low VOC and eco-labelled materials.

• Mike Greer Commercial’s quality assurance processes, document management, and the meticulous collation of information supported the certification of the built rating.

Ratenesh says the Buckland Road project delivers its ambitions.

“Our whakatauki is ‘Ngā Kāinga Awhi’ – ‘Welcoming Homes’ and this project is a fantastic demonstration of what can be achieved through collaboration and partnership.”

He says the project not only adds six apartments to a sector “crying out for affordable, sustainable, accessible housing,” but also “delivers on our promise of new possibilities for great lives.”

And Buckland Road has an example of exactly that.

“There’ve been some neat stories where our new tenants have moved here (some with limited support through their care agencies) from unsuitable, dependent living situations.”

“One new Buckland Road tenant is a 27-year-old woman who’s been living in a retirement village for over nine months before moving to us. She just loves her new independence...”

Photo credit: Mike Greer Commercial