A pair of semi-detached homes in Kettering is the UK representatives of a European research project into sustainable housing. Velux’s Model Home 2020 initiative involves building demonstration projects in Denmark, Germany, Austria and France, as well as the UK. The design teams of each country shared a common technical brief but each one has interpreted it in the context of its own legislative framework and housing market. The homes in Kettering, designed by HTA, address the evolution of the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH), while remaining relevant to the volume housing market. They are designed to the expected level 5 under the revised Code, and are in line with the emerging zero carbon definition. The homes are super-insulated, have high levels of air-tightness, and each incorporates a combination of two renewable energy technologies for heating (air source heat pumps and solar collectors). As well as meeting high levels of the Code, the homes are designed to be comfortable, enjoyable and healthy to live in, having a central atrium that helps to provide daylight, sunlight and natural ventilation. The project team has used computer modelling to achieve a minimum daylight factor of 5% for every room in the home, more than three times greater than is required by the CSH for living spaces. This is achieved by introducing borrowed light from the atrium and combining vertical and roof windows. Roof and façade windows are used in combination throughout the home, and this interchangeable relationship is recognised by wrapping a single cladding material, timber shingles, over walls and roof. The timber shingles also provide an outward expression of the environmental principles of the home. Natural ventilation is harnessed through triple-height spaces and the dual aspect atrium, which maximises the combined cross and stack ventilation of each home, and avoids the need for mechanical systems. Homes have a hot rolled steel frame with light gauge steel infill, to allow an open plan and free flowing layout. A high thermally performing fabric is achieved with a highly insulated suspended floor, 130mm of insulation over the steel frame walls, and a structural insulated panel roof. Once complete, the homes will be monitored, and then offered for sale on the open market.
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