Edith Road

Location: Haringey

Brick Manufacturer: Wienerberger Limited

Brick Name: Morado

Architect: Satish Jassal Architects

Brickwork Contractors: Alex James Contracts / TP Brickwork

Edith Road in Haringey is a pioneering net-zero carbon, 100% social rented housing development designed by Satish Jassal Architects in collaboration with the London Borough of Haringey. Completed in 2025, this compact infill scheme transforms a long-derelict council-owned car park into eight high-quality homes. It sets a benchmark for how local authorities can lead on sustainable, affordable housing delivery, with clay brick playing a central role in both design performance and long-term value.

a) Verifiable sustainable practice
The effectiveness of these measures is evidenced by the project's achievement of a 104% reduction in carbon emissions compared to the Greater London Authority's (GLA) benchmarks. This surpasses the standard 100% reduction target, indicating that the development neutralises its carbon footprint and contributes positively to the surrounding environment.

The development achieves the 104.6% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to the UK’s Part L Building Regulation:2013 baseline using the GLA’s Energy Hierarchy:
• Be Lean (energy efficiency): 15.3% reduction
• Be Green (renewables): 89.4% additional reduction
• Total: 104.6% cumulative reduction (exceeds net zero)
• No reliance on carbon offset payments
• Net zero is achieved entirely via onsite measures

Key strategies include a fabric-first approach with high airtightness, insulation, and thermal mass—underpinned by a highly efficient building envelope formed from loadbearing brickwork and timber webbed joists. Combined with energy-efficient aluminium-framed windows, this approach significantly reduces heat loss. All homes are powered by individual air-source heat pumps and rooftop photovoltaic panels, ensuring low-energy, fossil-fuel-free living with radically reduced energy bills for residents.

Sustainable procurement was embedded throughout the process. The red clay bricks were sourced through The Bespoke Brick Company and manufactured by Wienerberger, selected for their local compatibility, robustness, and sustainable manufacturing practices. The use of bricks allows future disassembly and reuse—minimising whole-life embodied carbon. Offcuts and site waste were minimized through close coordination with the contractor, while stone banding and metalwork were fabricated offsite to reduce waste and improve quality control.

b) Challenging sustainable design norms
Edith Road demonstrates that achieving net-zero carbon in social housing is both viable and replicable on small, complex urban sites. It exceeds performance expectations not through expensive certification schemes but through clear design intent, intelligent passive strategies, and considered material choices. The scheme illustrates how brick-based, low-tech construction can meet high sustainability standards in an understated and effective way.

c) Purpose-built with collaboration
The scheme was designed and delivered in-house by Haringey Council in close collaboration with Satish Jassal Architects. It directly addresses urgent housing need, with a mix of eight council-rented homes, 75% of which are family-sized. The housing mix includes five apartments, two townhouses, and one wheelchair-accessible unit.

From the outset, local residents were engaged in shaping the development’s scale, layout, and public realm. The design repairs a hole in the urban fabric where once an empty carpark stood and helps visually mark Springfield Park opposite. Every new home has a view to the public park opposite, enhancing residents’ well-being. Improvements were made to the adjacent council estate by relandscaping a public cut through and providing a new refuse and cycle store for the existing council estate. Brick forms the backbone of both architecture and landscape, edging communal gardens, public space and amenity spaces. Brick detailing—stepped piers, recessed gables, stack bonds, and fine mortar joints—was realised through close collaboration between architect, contractor (Alexander James Contracts), and supplier.

d) Performance and public response
The scheme is performing as modelled, with monitored post-occupancy data confirming net-zero carbon operation. Residents report excellent thermal comfort, daylight levels, and low energy bills. The scheme received unanimous support at planning and has been welcomed by the local community as a high-quality, respectful development.

Additional estate-wide improvements—including new lighting, bin stores, tree planting, and re-landscaped pathways—further embed the scheme in its setting and improve quality of life for neighbouring residents. A planning condition ensures ongoing monitoring of energy performance to inform future council-led housing delivery.

e) Organisational commitment
Edith Road is part of Haringey Council’s wider net-zero housing programme and was fully commissioned, funded, and delivered by the Council’s housing and regeneration teams. It reflects a high level of leadership support for embedding sustainability into the borough’s housing stock.

Satish Jassal Architects continues to support local authorities in delivering socially and environmentally responsible architecture, with a particular focus on small infill sites. The studio’s work demonstrates how brick, as a timeless and low-carbon material, can play a critical role in building high-performance, community-focused housing that is durable, beautiful, and equitable.