Passivhauses, Watford
A competition entry to create two semi- detached dwellings, which provide an imaginative architectural response to “Passivhaus” design principles. This was undertaken with a team of consultants, primarily Price and Myers who provided detailed advice on sustainability. The competition was run by Building Research Establishment (BRE) and located at their Innovation Park in Watford.
Whilst many of the practices’ projects are energy conscious this project was seen as an opportunity to combine architectural quality with sustainable ideals for volume house building at an affordable price.
“Passivhaus” is a design methodology developed in Germany and features high levels of airtightness and insulation combined with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.
The building form has been chosen as a compact volume to maximise the ratio between volume and surface area thus reducing overall fabric heat losses to the floor area. The plans are arranged to so that the major living rooms and principle bedroom face South and relate to the garden. Limited openings are provided to the North with larger windows to the South. Architecturally the building form is articulated with large overhangs which shade windows/prevent overheating.
The thatch cladding provides a distinctive yet easily recognisable symbol of domesticity with a subtle shift in both plan and elevation identifying the individual nature of each of the houses. Thatch also adds to the thermal performance of the fabric and helps reduce rainwater run off.
Materials with low embodied energy have been used which range from the prefabricated cross laminated timber structural panels to the external materials such as thatch and lime render.
In addition to specifying the appropriate thickness and type of insulation, the required low U values must be achieved in practice through careful detailing of the envelope at all junctions to eliminate thermal bridging combined with a continuous air barrier. A series of sketch details were submitted as part of the competition to prove an understanding of this.
Through the measures outlined above the houses achieve a high level of thermal comfort and would require very limited heating. This will be enhanced further by a 80 % efficient mechanical ventilation unit with heat recovery. Domestic hot water would be provided via solar thermal panels at roof level.
Each of the houses would meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria.
Project team
Sustainability consultant:
Price and Myers
Structural Engineer:
Price and Myers
QS:
Batey Asociates
M & E services:
Hoare Lea
Ecology:
Arbtech Consulting
CGI/modelling:
Eye-Kon
A competition entry to create two semi- detached dwellings, which provide an imaginative architectural response to “Passivhaus” design principles. This was undertaken with a team of consultants, primarily Price and Myers who provided detailed advice on sustainability. The competition was run by Building Research Establishment (BRE) and located at their Innovation Park in Watford.
Whilst many of the practices’ projects are energy conscious this project was seen as an opportunity to combine architectural quality with sustainable ideals for volume house building at an affordable price.
“Passivhaus” is a design methodology developed in Germany and features high levels of airtightness and insulation combined with mechanical ventilation and heat recovery.
The building form has been chosen as a compact volume to maximise the ratio between volume and surface area thus reducing overall fabric heat losses to the floor area. The plans are arranged to so that the major living rooms and principle bedroom face South and relate to the garden. Limited openings are provided to the North with larger windows to the South. Architecturally the building form is articulated with large overhangs which shade windows/prevent overheating.
The thatch cladding provides a distinctive yet easily recognisable symbol of domesticity with a subtle shift in both plan and elevation identifying the individual nature of each of the houses. Thatch also adds to the thermal performance of the fabric and helps reduce rainwater run off.
Materials with low embodied energy have been used which range from the prefabricated cross laminated timber structural panels to the external materials such as thatch and lime render.
In addition to specifying the appropriate thickness and type of insulation, the required low U values must be achieved in practice through careful detailing of the envelope at all junctions to eliminate thermal bridging combined with a continuous air barrier. A series of sketch details were submitted as part of the competition to prove an understanding of this.
Through the measures outlined above the houses achieve a high level of thermal comfort and would require very limited heating. This will be enhanced further by a 80 % efficient mechanical ventilation unit with heat recovery. Domestic hot water would be provided via solar thermal panels at roof level.
Each of the houses would meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, Lifetime Homes and Secure by Design criteria.
Project team
Sustainability consultant:
Price and Myers
Structural Engineer:
Price and Myers
QS:
Batey Asociates
M & E services:
Hoare Lea
Ecology:
Arbtech Consulting
CGI/modelling:
Eye-Kon
