Lizzie Olds chats to us to discuss all things Acorn Green – what excites her about her role, what Acorn Green means for our buyers and what’s to come in the future!
What’s your role at Acorn and how long have you worked here?
I started working at Acorn around three and a half years ago. My job title is Sales Manager but in truth, I have a varied role – I oversee some of my own developments but I also review a lot of technical plans across the group from a sales point of view, looking at site layouts and house types which is something I really enjoy. I also do lots of market research into buyer demographics and their wants and needs and it is becoming apparent how aware our buyers are of their impact on the environment and wanting to be as green as possible.
What led you to become involved in Acorn Green?
I have always had a passion for the environment and I was brought up to be very conscious of my surroundings. I’m a country girl at heart and spend a lot of time between Hampshire and Cornwall and enjoy all things green and outdoors so this is a great fit.
How do you think buyers view sustainability in housing?
It’s very topical in the media at the moment however, I don’t think all buyers currently see it as a priority in their property search which is what we are trying to change. It is definitely becoming more mainstream and I think our buyers are now much more mindful of being sustainable in everyday life in general from re-cycling, up-cycling and creating less waste, all of which applies in house building.
What does Acorn Green mean for our consumers?
We’re making sustainable technology as easy and digestible as possible for the consumer to understand the benefits eg: better insulation means a warmer home and smaller bills! We want our buyers to really learn about their home and the benefits of buying Green.
What do you believe is Acorn’s USP in the housing market?
Acorn’s different by design ethos says it all – No two sites are the same – we work a lot with existing buildings, but we could be working on a beach development at the same time as restoring a Grade II listed building or creating city centre apartments for first-time buyers. We work with our existing surroundings, take a fabric first approach and build what is best for the local area. We are a modern, forward-thinking developer that takes pride in the fact that each home and site is different and unique to the community we are creating as well as being of fantastic quality.
What is the most exciting project you’re working on?
I am currently working on our Ashton Fields development in the Cotswolds, it is a 75 unit scheme which includes four amazing listed buildings. The site is spread across 74 acres and includes two lakes, ponds, a bat house and a wildlife corridor. We are focusing on being as green as possible with heat pumps (ground, air and water are being considered) being used across the whole development, introducing bug hotels and hedgehog tunnels, planting lots of new trees and focusing on soft landscaping. We will also be looking at the latest technology to ensure people are able to function in their homes as efficiently as possible.
What’s the future for Acorn Green in your role – what are your priorities and biggest opportunities?
One of my priorities is to really educate our new homeowners on all the sustainable elements of their home; so many people will move into a house and not know how things work properly and so not using all the amazing technology to its advantage and helping the environment.
We are also working on a new handover package that promotes local and sustainable companies from zero waste cleaning products to wildflower seeds and planting fruit trees in the gardens which is very exciting.
