Northern Ireland construction firm Graham has commenced construction of Weavers' Hall, a 16-floor, 459-room Passivhaus-certified student accommodation scheme for Queen's University Belfast on Dublin Road, marking the delivery of Ireland's largest certified Passivhaus building and the first of its kind in Belfast.

The News Letter reported that the development, valued at approximately £59m, includes 98 studio apartments alongside standard ensuite rooms, with communal facilities including study areas, a coffee bar, a cinema room, a ground-floor courtyard, and furnished terraces on the upper floors overlooking Belfast's skyline.

The scheme is designed to meet Queen's University Belfast's net-zero commitments, incorporating high-spec insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and 100% renewable energy sources for heating and domestic hot water.

Jonathan Hall, group chief operating officer at Graham, said the project is setting a new benchmark for sustainable student living in Northern Ireland, and that by embedding Passivhaus principles into the construction process, the team is delivering a building combining exceptional energy performance, high levels of comfort, and improved air quality for residents, adding that Weavers' Hall represents a step forward in how multi-occupancy buildings can contribute to a lower-carbon city.

Professor Sir Ian Greer, president and vice-chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, said Belfast remains one of the most affordable places to live compared to other UK cities and described the accommodation and facilities at Weavers' Hall as first-rate.

Lucy Dixon, regional manager for Northern Ireland at procurement framework provider Pagabo, said the project demonstrates how a compliant framework can enable major developments to be procured quickly and efficiently while maintaining full transparency and governance.

Get the full details on Graham's Weavers' Hall construction and Passivhaus delivery at Queen's University Belfast.