Boutique Modern has been awarded the status of a B Corporation – a ‘UK first’ in the modular construction industry
Boutique Modern has been working with local authorities over the last four years to provide high quality, affordable social housing.
Having achieved B Corporation status, which is a global accreditation for companies that meet the highest standard of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability to balance purpose with profit, Boutique Modern demonstrates a genuine commitment to social responsibility.
Operating predominantly in the South East, the company strives to address the housing crisis, working with local authorities and housing associations to deliver high quality, affordable and sustainable social housing.
Palmerston House – which is also located in Newhaven – comprises 13 safe, spacious and bright apartments which are part of Boutique Modern’s own standard range of houses and apartments, called ModernHome.
The scheme also demonstrates strong building performance and a renewable energy strategy.
The homes include a large solar photovoltaic array that feeds individual domestic batteries, each storing the valuable solar-generated electricity and removing an estimated 60% of the annual electricity costs for each apartment.
A testament to systems used
Sarah Roberts, commercial business project manager for Lewes District and Eastbourne Borough Councils, said: “It was a great experience working with a developer that sets the bar for social housing and care for its community.
“Boutique Modern provided a stress-free work experience and quality is assured with the scheme delivered on budget, making our job easier.
“Helping to address the housing challenges we face in Newhaven by providing 13 families on the waiting list with a new home was rewarding for all parties involved.”
Dick Shone, managing director at Boutique Modern, added: “We’re very proud to be the first modular construction company in the UK to have been certified as a B Corporation.
“This recognises the values and aims which are deep-rooted in the company’s ethos and, more importantly, recognises the principles that we have put into practice and consistently delivered over the years.
“This certification is testament to the systems that we have developed since the inception of the business nearly a decade ago.
“We apply a ‘fabric first’ approach to our build system, this means we focus on achieving a high-performance building envelope before adding mechanical and electrical options to improve the performance of the building.
“We’re therefore able to design a practical renewables strategy to each individual project and ensure no expense is wasted on technology which may not suit a particular site – saving our customers money.
“We’ve deliberately kept the business relatively small, relying on organic growth rather than seeking external investment, which has meant we’ve been able to really focus on delivering a high-quality service to our clients and developing products which respond to our customers and their tenants’ needs.”
