3 March 2023
Bloomberg A trophy address alone doesn't do it anymore for buyers of London's mansions. Along the tree-lined Avenue Road — a stone's throw from Regent's Park — with mansions priced at as much as £110 million ($134 million), there's a burning question on the lips of prospective purchasers: How green are these homes? "The wealthy want to be seen to do their bit, whether they believe in it or not," said Jon O'Brien, founder of Domvs London , the developer of 52 Avenue Road, a project that's set to transform the street's biggest plot of land into 12 "eco-mansions" guarded by uniformed ex-Gurkha troops. The developer claims the mansions' thick walls will trap warmth in the winter, while elliptical staircases spanning the length of the building will remove summer heat through the roof. It plans geothermal heat pumps to warm the mansions' sauna, steam room and fitness suite that's being designed by a superyacht gym provider. The special features at the mansions, which will be on average about 5,750 square feet in size with prices starting at £3,500 per square foot, are aimed at meeting the green demands of the rich.
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