Northern soul

A timber frame Passivhaus self-build project has recently been completed & certified near Warkworth Northumbria and is currently the most northerly Passivhaus in England. Godwit House is a rural self-build home, oriented to capture key views and to blend in with the agricultural structures found locally.

Key stats Construction: Timber frame  Form factor: 3.45 TFA:  190 m2  Build start date: March 2020  Completed: December 2021  Certified: Passivhaus, June 2022

 

 

 

Passivhaus is the preferred low energy standard for MawsonKerr Architects due to the physics-based approached which adds rigour to construction and detailing. We particularly like Passivhaus'  quality assurance  systems which ensure the design gap is closed. The decision to push for the Passivhaus standard had strong support from the client on the grounds of sustainability. 

Daniel Dyer, Architect, MawsonKerr

 

Design

The house has been designed 'upside down', with bedrooms on the ground floor, clustered around a courtyard garden. The upper floor is a large living, kitchen and dining space with windows splayed to the views across to a nearby estuary.

The design has a high form factor and large north facing windows, in response to the constraints and opportunities of the site. These design decisions made achieving Passivhaus more challenging and therefore the team needed exceptional airtight performance and thermal bridge detailing to hit the targets.

Construction

The project was constructed in  I-stud timber frame, which helped with the speed and accuracy of the installation. It was the first Passivhaus for the main contractors and achieved exceptional airtightness results. The project has been seen to help raise standards in the region and brought new skills to local tradesmen. 

 

 

 

Floor   Insulated raft  U value: 0.084 W/m2K  Wall   Timber frame  U-value: 0.115 W/m2K  Roof   Timber frame  U-value: 0.072 W/m2K

 

Predicted energy performance

Thermal Energy Demand (≤15kWh/m².yr)	14 kWh/m2.yr
Thermal Energy Load (≤10W/m²)	9 W/m2
Primary energy renewable demand:	38 kWh/m2.yr
Airtightness (≤0.6ACH@50pascals)	0.2 ach @ 50Pa

The minimal heating that is needed is provided by an air source heat pump, with a solar PV array on the roof. Solar shading has been provided through the use of internal blinds throughout.  

 

Key team  Architect & Passivhaus Designer: MawsonKerr Contractor: True North Construction Passivhaus certifier: WARM

Discover more Passivhaus self-build schemes here, or better still, visit one in-person to get a first-hand experience at an upcoming Open Days site visit. 

 

Further information

Passivhaus goes Personal

Passivhaus Open Days 2022: Winter Edition

Passivhaus Workshops 

How to build a Passivhaus

RIBA Journal: MawsonKerr uses timber frame cassettes for Passivhaus home in Northumberland - 23 November 2022

8th September 2022

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