Super Saver
This two-bedroomed house has set a benchmark for energy efficient design in the capital, as London’s first certified home built to Passivhaus principles. Bere: Architects’ main aim was to create a comfortable home for the client’s young family, while minimising energy consumption. The 118 sq m family house is constructed from a heavily insulated prefabricated timber frame, clad in European larch. It is cheap to run, with heating costs 90 per cent lower than existing housing. It is low in carbon emissions, and is bright and airy, with sliding doors opening on to a south facing terrace. Passivhaus low energy principles have been devised to produce a home that is cool in summer and warm in winter with minimal additional heating. The Passivhaus home also has good all-year-round air humidity levels and winter ventilation, while being free of draughts. Overshadowing of adjacent buildings had a major impact on the energy balance and design decisions for the home. The Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) was used from the start to determine the optimum position for the house on the site and the optimum percentage and orientation of the glazing. The final design provides bright and airy rooms with large tilt-and-slide, draught-free, triple-glazed windows to the south and west. Summer shading is provided by retractable external venetian blinds with automatic solar control, while inward-tilting windows provide secure summer night-time purge ventilation. Use of non-toxic materials and a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system (saving ten times the energy it uses) give high air quality in the home. A water filtration system ensures clean water for drinking and bathing. Mains water use is reduced by an underground rainwater harvesting tank, which provides water for the garden. A solar thermal panel supplies domestic hot water via a compact unit with a tiny back-up gas boiler. The project also promotes biodiversity through two wildflower-meadow green roofs, a south facing garden, and an ivy covered gabion stone wall.
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