GRAHAM has started construction of a 926-bed sustainable student accommodation development for the University of Bath at its Claverton Down campus in Bath, UK.

Representatives from GRAHAM, senior University of Bath leaders, project partners and members of the project team attended a groundbreaking ceremony at the University’s Claverton Down campus to mark the commencement of construction. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the development will deliver 926 new student bedspaces along with associated amenities, allowing more first-year undergraduates to live on the main campus while benefiting from convenient access to teaching facilities, support services and the wider student community.

Located on the eastern side of the campus, the development will offer a combination of en-suite cluster flats and townhouse-style accommodation, complemented by facilities aimed at enhancing student wellbeing and campus life. The amenities will include shared kitchens and social areas, study spaces, a games room, laundry facilities and adaptable accessible spaces available throughout the academic year.

The scheme is being designed to Passivhaus standards, incorporating energy-efficient features in line with the University’s sustainability objectives. A fabric-first design approach, together with air-source heat pumps, will help lower operational carbon emissions while improving thermal comfort and indoor air quality for residents. Procured through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF), the project has involved GRAHAM collaborating with the University of Bath from the initial design and pre-construction phases through to the commencement of construction.

As part of the pre-construction process, University representatives visited GRAHAM’s Weavers’ Hall development at Queen’s University Belfast, the largest Passivhaus-certified student accommodation project on the island of Ireland and the first of its kind in Belfast. The visit offered the University valuable insight into GRAHAM’s expertise in delivering large-scale Passivhaus student accommodation, helping to shape the approach for the Bath development.