Case Study

Woodberry Down Residential Development

01 / Case Study

Woodberry Down Residential Development

DSSR has been appointed to multiple phases of Woodberry Down, one of the largest residential estate regeneration schemes in Europe. We are providing full MEP design services for the development and contributing to its sustainability focus.

Location / Finsbury Park, London


Contract Value / £1bn Regeneration investment


Architect / Rolfe Judd


Client / Berkeley Homes


Completion / Ongoing - Long Term


02 / Overview

Overview of the Woodberry Down Residential Development project

DSSR has been appointed to multiple phases of Woodberry Down, one of the largest residential estate regeneration schemes in Europe. We are providing full MEP design services for the development and contributing to its sustainability focus. The scale of Woodberry Down is so large that it will take a total of 25 to 30 years to complete across 8 construction phases.

Our involvement began within Phase 2 in which DSSR designed the mechanical, electrical and public health services of Block B, which is now completed and occupied. Block B comprises approximately 275 flats in 5 adjoining blocks which reach up to 14 storeys high.
Currently, DSSR is designing the building services for the whole of Phase 3, comprising 584 flats which are spread across 10 blocks that reach as high as 21 storeys.

Within the current phase, DSSR is involved in the planning and Stage 3 design of an Energy Centre which is intended to support the entire development—which has planning permission for up to 7,000 dwellings.

Producing bespoke solutions

Appointed directly by the client, Berkeley Homes, DSSR’s multidisciplinary team of MEP design experts have utilised their expert building services knowledge to produce bespoke solutions to ensure that this development is an inspiring exemplar of sustainability within the residential sector.

DSSR undertook an analysis, as part of the Low Carbon Transition Plan, to provide options for the future introduction of Low Carbon Technologies, accounting for the changing carbon factors associated with different fuel sources.

In addition to the dwelling SAP assessment, and non-domestic SBEM calculations required for Approved Document Part L and London Plan compliance, DSSR has also undertaken CIBSE TM52 Thermal comfort analysis for all Phase 3 flats, ensuring the development provides comfortable living environments in an energy-efficient manner.

Minimising energy consumption

To minimise energy consumption, we worked closely with the design team and cladding specialist to optimise the design of the flats. By reducing the cooling demand, we hope to minimise the need for active mechanical cooling, achieving optimal thermal comfort in the most energy-efficient way possible.

The energy strategy for Woodberry Down includes the development of a Heat Network supplemented with Air Source Heat Pump, serving both existing and future developments across the Woodberry Down estate using a distributed pipework system.

This has involved close liaison with the Developer to ensure that the energy targets are achieved. Looking to the future, we have ensured that our designs take account of emerging energy and sustainability strategies. For example, connections have been built into the Energy Centre—which is currently under construction—to allow the future connection of an off-site third-party private heat network.

View the Woodberry Down development at Berkeley Homes

Drone footage shot by DSSR:
03 / Contact

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