Clad in Eternit pre-painted corrugated fibre cement sheeting (which unusually also covers the roof) this three-storey five-bedroom eco-house impressed the 2004 Manser Medal Judges who declared: “This one-off house is an exemplar to the house--building industry of how to design a low-cost low –energy dwelling with generous accommodation, where every square metre of floor space justifies its cost.” Of light-weight timber-frame structure on concrete piled foundations The Black House took just four days to erect and the whole building programme took just eight months from start to finish. This lightweight structure meant that the number of piles in the foundation could be reduced, minimising the amount of concrete and therefore the energy required. Instead of a conventional ring beam, a timber glulam beam (visible at the base of the building) was bolted to the pile caps with high tensile steel rods. The timber studs, joists and rafters are made as I-sections from timber waste, producing strong lightweight beams with minimal environmental impact. This allows the simple roof construction that is visible in the top floor, which is lit by Velux rooflights fitted with blinds to minimise glare. The main internal cross walls of the house, which were designed to provide structural strength, were factory made Masonite Beam Panels, and the intermediate floors were also Mansonite Beam floor cassettes, where the thickness and high performance insulation made from 100 per cent recycled newspaper deliver exceptionally low consumption of energy. The windows are double-glazed with argon filled cavities and a low –emissivity coating on the glass reflects heat back into the house. “The first rule for a low energy--house is to use plenty of insulation,” explains architect Meredith Bowles “The global imperative to reduce green house gases can be effected in real terms by designing buildings that require less energy to run. What is often overlooked, however, is that a building that responds well to the environment is often more comfortable to live in,” he says “ A good building should lift one’s spirits.” Photography: Ray Main (01279 423303)
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