We’re proud to have completed our first fully sustainable nine74 home at our Abri development in Wigan, a major milestone in our journey towards delivering low‑carbon, future‑ready homes.
Plot 241 at Tulach is the first Northstone home to combine Wondrwall’s AI‑powered Home Energy Management System (HEMS) with Ultrapanel Building Technologies’ thermally enhanced, panelised construction system.
Together, these technologies have enabled us to deliver a highly energy‑efficient, net‑zero‑capable home using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), without compromising on design, comfort or quality.
Intelligent energy management at the heart of the home
At the heart of the home is Wondrwall, an AI‑enabled energy management system that learns how residents live and automatically manages heating, lighting and energy use to maximise comfort while reducing waste and running costs.
Installed as part of a fully integrated, net‑zero‑capable setup, Wondrwall connects smart lighting, heating, hot water, security, EV charging, solar PV generation and battery storage. All systems are optimised through a single, intuitive app, creating a cohesive living environment that adapts to each resident in real time.
Using sensors built into light switches throughout the home, the system learns occupancy patterns as people go about their day. Heating and power are delivered only when and where they’re needed — warming the home when residents return, switching off unused systems and ensuring energy is always used at the most cost‑effective time.
Reducing energy use and lowering running costs
By reducing energy use in unoccupied spaces and optimising how solar, heating and hot water systems work together, Wondrwall helps to lower household energy costs.
Paired with Tulach’s inherently energy‑efficient design, the system enhances the home’s net‑zero performance. This is supported by infrared heating, an integrated heat‑pump hot water cylinder, high‑performance solar panels and battery storage — all working together to deliver a genuinely low‑carbon home.
A future‑ready living experience
Beyond energy efficiency, the home also delivers a truly future‑ready living experience. Intelligent, hands‑free lighting, security and entertainment are seamlessly combined with premium SONOS audio, all controlled through the Wondrwall app. The result is a home that feels intuitive, responsive and effortless to live in, where technology enhances everyday life rather than complicating it.
Building sustainable homes using modern methods of construction
This first sustainable nine74 home is also the result of a close collaboration between Northstone and Ultrapanel, driven by a shared ambition to redefine how sustainable homes are built in the UK.
Using Ultrapanel’s factory‑built, precision‑engineered wall and roof systems, the home achieves exceptional thermal performance. Walls and roofs deliver U‑values as low as 0.09 W/m²K, with a highly insulated, airtight envelope that plays a key role in achieving near‑Passivhaus performance and an EPC ‘A’ rating of 106.
Manufactured offsite and delivered on a just‑in‑time basis, the panelised components were installed in days rather than weeks. Large prefabricated wall cassettes were craned into position with pinpoint accuracy, followed by intermediate floors and warm roof components, clearly demonstrating how MMC can significantly improve build speed, quality and consistency on live developments.
A learning project shaping the future of Northstone homes
For us, this project was both a technical achievement and a valuable learning exercise. It has helped identify further efficiencies for future MMC delivery, including simplified sole plate systems, integrated lifting points and advanced roof cassette solutions.
Most importantly, it proves that highly energy‑efficient, technology‑led homes can be delivered at scale without compromising on design, quality or liveability.
A vision for the future of housebuilding
As Richard O’Brien, Design Director at Northstone, explains:
“This first sustainable nine74 home at Tulach represents a significant step forward for Northstone. By combining Ultrapanel’s MMC system with Wondrwall’s intelligent energy management, we’ve created a home that delivers genuine comfort, lower running costs and outstanding sustainability.
This home brings to life our conceptual vision to design homes that look confidently to the future while remaining grounded in build quality and performance. By integrating intelligent energy technology with advanced construction systems, Northstone is demonstrating how forward‑thinking design and future methods of construction can work hand in hand. The result is a new generation of housetypes where innovation is not an add‑on, but an integral part of how homes are conceived, built and lived in. We are really showcasing how technology and modern construction can be intertwined to create something genuinely special and it’s a powerful demonstration of what the future of housebuilding can, and should, look like.”
Setting a new benchmark for sustainable living
The completion of Plot 241 at Abri underlines our ambition to lead the way in smarter, greener residential development, setting a new benchmark for sustainable living across our future communities.
