A town house designed with strong modular exterior walls that allow the home to be reconfigured internally as the family expands seems like a dream home idea. Throw in that it is environment friendly and cheap to build as well and the idea seems impossible.

But exactly that has been exhibited at the Delivering Sustainable Communities Summit by English Partnerships. Their exhibition stand at the Summit took the form of a three-storey townhouse to form the end terrace of a typical street.

Terraces have seen a significant increase in popularity since the introduction of Planning Policy Guidance Note No. 3 (PPG3), and are generally accepted to be the most challenging in urban design terms.

Designed to reflect changing demographics and social trends, the house incorporates a large amount of flexible space. The whole house can be constructed on site using a steel-framed building system with a single span of 6.3m. This allows the entire space to be adapted as the needs of the homebuyer change throughout their lifetime.

Innovative design and modern methods of construction (MMC) have been fused to great effect in what English Partnerships call their 'summit townhouse'. The three-storey home is proof that modern methods and good design really do work hand-in-hand when it comes to creating great places to live.

The national regeneration agency’s brief to architects PRP was to design a high-quality, cost-effective and flexible home, incorporating the latest in environmental standards using a modular off-site system. The resulting three-bedroom home ticks all the boxes needed to achieve an EcoHomes 'excellent' rating and includes a raft of features that makes it a potential blueprint for new affordable and mid-market homes.

Trevor Beattie, English Partnerships' Corporate Strategy Director, said that the agency’s challenge was to create a home that used MMC to maximise cost effectiveness, but didn’t compromise on design, quality or desirability. “We have successfully created an environmentally-friendly home that will excite and appeal to people, offering them flexible space options to suit their lifestyle. The townhouse shows that technology can enhance design not compromise it,” said Mr Beattie.

One major advantage of the panel and modular system, devised by Fusion Building Systems, is that on site a 6.3m steel span can be used, negating the need for internal supporting walls. Space can therefore be reconfigured to suit the needs of the householder and adapted to meet changing needs over time.

The Summit home presented more challenges than a 'real' home would because of the restrictions related to access and space. Trevor Beattie adds that in reality there was scope for even more innovation “For the exhibition we have had to bear in mind the venue and limitations on transport and access, without these constraints we can pursue more options in terms of design and construction techniques,” he added.

Following the Summit, the townhouse - which has an internal gross floor area of
122 sq m (1,320 sq ft) - will be dismantled and exhibited at the Building Research Establishment’s Off-Site 2005 exhibition in June.

Later in the year it will be incorporated into a development of around 20 homes at the Allerton Bywater Millennium Community near Leeds. A visualisation of how the home will look is shown within the Summit house.

The Millennium Community home will include key features such as:

• Two-storey sunspace that acts as an environmental buffer.
• Reduced consumption of energy and water.
• Facilities for recycling.
• Incorporation of urban design principles such as Secured by Design.

• Ground floor - lobby, utility room, multi-purpose room, toilet, hallway and two-storey sunspace.
• First floor - reception, kitchen, internal and external balcony.
• Second floor - two bedrooms, study area, bathroom, storage room and external balcony.
• A lift can be installed in the house as the needs of a family change.

• 20% reduction in water consumption.
• 20% reduction in energy consumption.
• 50% reduction in domestic waste.
• 50% reduction in construction waste.
• 50% reduction in embodied energy used in construction.