CO DUBLIN €3.15m:GREEN is the colour of the future and bespoke developer Conor Mallon is firmly ahead of the curve with his latest creation, Beechmount, a brand new, bay-fronted, six-bedroom detached house set on a fifth of an acre on a site in the grounds of a former house at number 81 Mount Merrion Avenue.
The 281.5sq m (3,030sq ft) house is spacious, in keeping with the scale of its neighbours. The location, layout and look and feel are all high end. The property is for sale by private treaty with an asking price of €3.15 million through agent Lisney.
While looks matter, we all know it's what inside that really counts and the interior of Beechmount is flawless. It has Gaggenau kitchen appliances. Philipe Starck sanitary ware, crema marfil marble tiling and mahogany engineered floors all fitted with the usual high level of finish and attention to detail that all Mallon properties have.
But it is the property's green credentials that will seal the deal for buyers keen to keep energy bills down. The house has underfloor thermostatically controlled heating, powered by a condensing boiler, which is extremely fuel efficient. It reads the external temperature and reduces or increases output as required, says Mallon. This means if the day is either unseasonally hot or cold, the system makes the necessary adjustments.
The paint job on the external walls is in a Sto render that is insulating as well as long-lasting and impervious to city grime, says Mallon. It will not require a touch-up for at least 10 years; any grime can be washed off using a hose. The sash windows and doors throughout are custom built. The windows are argon gas-filled with increased u value qualities. And the utility room has a green ethos - the washer and drier are both 9kg commercial appliances installed to optimise energy consumption.
The house istelf has a tulipwood frame imported from Germany to meet Mallon's demanding criteria. The hook for him was a higher level of finish and a higher quality of insulation with a more solid construction of floors and walls and higher soundproofing and insulation qualities. "The frame soaks up the radiant heat of the sun and retains it" explains Mallon.
The house promises a huge payback over time: it has a B1 energy rating, which, is as high as you can get without installing solar panels and geothermal heating, says Mallon. Meanwhile, the south-west facing back garden means the new owners can soak up some energy from the sun, should it ever show its face in this part of the world again.
Mallon is also developing two smaller, semi-detached properties in the same location. These will come to the market in about a month's time.
As a speculative builder it's about staying ahead of the curve, says Mallon. "And with the present energy and financial crises, everyone needs to keep an eye on energy consumption." That said the property comes with off-street parking for up to five cars - hopefully, all electric!
Beechmount, 81 Mount Merrion, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Brand new 281.5sq m (3,030sq ft) six-bedroom house hasunderfloor heating, insulated external walls, B1 energy rating.
Agent: Lisney New Homes
