A WORLD-FIRST recycled glass solution has been approved for a new housing scheme in Scotland.
Pictured (from left): VASO Global Chief Technical Officer Simon Parrish; Chairman Graham McDonald; Co-Founder and CEO Eddie Black. Image Credit: VASO Global
VASO Global is a pioneering construction innovation which enables sustainable homes to be built at speed, supporting Scotland’s net zero and sustainability goals, while also offering a housing solution to the rest of the UK and across the world.
VASO Global’s build solutions create buildings from panels manufactured from recycled glass, providing affordable, low energy cost, low carbon homes which are efficient to keep cool in summer and warm in winter.
The innovation, which is designed and developed at VASO Manufacturing’s HQ in Dumfries and Galloway, has been given the green light for an affordable housing project on a brownfield site at Closeburn, north of Dumfries, consisting of four homes plus a home working space and visitor bedroom.
The project has benefitted from support from a range of national and local partners, including South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) – the region’s economic and community development agency.
The Closeburn homes are designed to be available for residents, young and old, from the local area looking for attractive, thermally comfortable, safe, cheap-to-heat and to cool homes at affordable rents.
Eddie Black, VASO Global’s Co-Founder and CEO, said: “We are delighted that Dumfries and Galloway Council has granted planning permission for the Closeburn development – it’s a real milestone moment for VASO.
“VASO Global has been three years in the making and Closeburn marks the first of many developments across the world which will utilize this solution.
“We are really proud that a product made in Scotland starts its journey right here on home soil in a country renowned for its pioneering innovations. It’s a really exciting moment for us all.
“VASO’s thermally efficient, affordable housing solution, delivered quickly, efficiently and economically, will create the quality homes which residents deserve.
“This innovation allows us to design homes for the future which are thermally comfortable in all conditions. The VASO build solution is cheap to heat and to cool meaning residents keep cool from the summer heat, as well as keep warm in winter.
“We engaged early on with those involved with the construction industry and we are pleased that Dumfries and Galloway Council has seen the potential of VASO and has given this scheme the go-ahead.
“It shows the value of us listening and being flexible when it comes to understanding what is required by stakeholders, including governments, councils, housing bodies, environmental organizations, and communities, and also believing in a solution which brings so many benefits to society including to residents and the planet.”
The VASO panels for the homes will be manufactured and constructed off-site at the company’s new 60,000-square-feet manufacturing site at Irongray Park, Dumfries, flat-packed, and reassembled on site.
South of Scotland Enterprise commissioned a feasibility report for development of the Closeburn site, as a partnership between Nith Valley Leaf Trust (NVLT), South of Scotland Community Housing and VASO Global.
Jane Morrison-Ross, Chief Executive at South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), said: “SOSE is excited to be on this journey with VASO Global, which is just the sort of innovative company we want to work alongside. In doing so, we can unlock solutions which can benefit not just the South (of Scotland), but the UK and rest of the world.”
Mike Staples, Chief Executive of South of Scotland Community Housing, said: "The team at SOSCH are delighted that planning consent has been secured for the Community Led Housing development at Castle Crescent. We have been working in partnership to plan and deliver housing innovation with Nith Valley Leaf Trust over a number of years and therefore it seems fitting that this project should be central to testing the pioneering VASO housing solution.
“It's exciting to be part of a really positive collaboration with VASO Global, South of Scotland Enterprise, the community and other key partners and we're now looking forward to working towards getting the project on-site".
Mike Steele, of Nith Valley Leaf Trust, said: “We are really pleased to have obtained planning permission for this exciting new affordable housing project. This means we can now move forward to seek funding, buy the land and work with partners to build these state-of-the-art modern homes. We are particularly keen to retain or attract young people with a connection to Closeburn who will enhance our community as well as showcase community led housing.’’
VASO Global recently secured more than £5m in investment to help it tackle the UK’s housing crisis.
The investment has been provided by a range of organizations including PXN Ventures, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise through a collaboration with Built Environment - Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), Innovate UK Loans Limited - a division of UK Research and Innovation, and Eco Group which will be the delivery partner for the initial VASO Global build projects.
The latest round of financing enables VASO to develop its manufacturing processes at its new manufacturing site in Dumfries, creating up to 70 jobs within the next five years. A VASO demonstration home is also planned to be built in September.
VASO recently made two senior appointments to its board. Graham McDonald, a versatile and commercially driven business leader with extensive Board-level experience, has joined VASO Global as chairman. Douglas Morrison, Deputy CEO of BE-ST, whose mission is to accelerate Scotland’s transition to a zero-carbon built environment and construction sector, has joined VASO Global in a non-remunerated Strategic Advisor role.