Whilst the future of sustainable innovation and localised community building is yet again under scrutiny, Greenhouse in Leeds (www.greenhouseleeds.co.uk) the UK's most pioneering microgeneration project - has been highlighted an example of what can be achieved through innovation in sustainable housing, during a House of Commons debate on Leeds city region's bid for the Green Investment Bank.

Building upon the foundations of the transition movement and permaculture - two growing trends amongst the younger, urban generation, Citu, the sustainable developer behind Greenhouse has taken sustainable development further than 'green technologies', challenging perceptions of 'buildings of the future' by establishing and maintaining a community at grass roots level.

These efforts have so far won Greenhouse and developer Citu 29 awards to date and most notably won recognition from Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hilary Benn, who held the innovative development and its community up to other MP's as a way of illustrating Leeds leading the way in tackling the CO2 Challenge (see more here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2011-11-14a.669.0)

Citu always had a long-term vision for this property. Commenting at the launch last year, Citu Managing Director Chris Thompson said: "What we've built with Greenhouse is a low carbon development, using the most pioneering techniques that blend technology and nature, to produce a building with sustainability at its core. However, to make Greenhouse succeed what we need to achieve is a sustainable community, not just a low carbon building, and this will come down to the end users who live and work here.

For more information about living, working or staying at Greenhouse visit www.greenhouseleeds.co.uk