Gresford Architects' Old Water Tower receives certification
The Old Water Tower is a certified Passivhaus dwelling designed by Passivhaus Trust member Gresford Architects, and has been designed to reflect the local rural vernacular.
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The house is conceived as a modern interpretation of the timber-framed barns of the area, that when seen from the distance reads as a simple, traditional, agricultural building."
Gresford Architects
Passivhaus technical details:
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Primary Energy: 104 kWh/(m2a) Space heating demand: 13.8 kWh/(m2a) Heat load: 11 W/m2 Airtightness: 0.58 ACH @ n50 Frequency of overheating: 4.7% Heat loss form factor: 3.29 |
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The dwelling follows a traditional layout with bedrooms on the upper floor and living spaces on the ground floor. To create a feeling of space, the bedrooms expand into the roof space, except for the guest room which houses the plant room above it.
To minimise the overheating risk, external blinds have been installed on the east, south and west elevations and operate automatically when the internal temperature of the house goes above 21C.
Materials and services:
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Ground floor: 400mm KORE Floor EPS100 white insulation (EPS300 to perimeter) under 100mm reinforced concrete slab. U-value = 0.092 W/(m²K). Wall: 34mm Piveteaubois Pulso vertical timber cladding on battens and counter battens, Glidevale Protect TF200 breather membrane, 12mm Medite Vent MDF panel, 400mm twin timber stud with Springvale Ecobead Platinuminsulation, Siga Majpell vapour control and airtight layer, 15mm OSB class 3 board, 45mm service cavity fulfilled with mineral wool insulation, 12.5mm plasterboard with 3mm skim coat finish. U-value = 0.085 W/(m²K). Roof: Rheinzink prePATINA graphite grey double standing seam onto 22mm plywood sheeting, 44mm battens fixed through to joists, Ampatop Protecta plus roof membrane, 500mm twin timber stud warm roof fulfilled with Springvale Ecobead Platinum insulation, Siga Majpell vapour control and airtight layer, 15mm OSB class 3 board, 45mm service cavity fulfilled with mineral wool insulation, 12.5mm plasterboard with 3mm skim coat finish. U-value = 0.070 W/(m²K). Windows & doors: Idealcombi Futura+i turn/ tilt and fixed windows, Idealcombi Futura+ sliding doors, Idealcombi Nation doors. Average g-Value = 0.49. Average Ug-Value = 0.58 W/(m²K). Average Window U-Value = 1.00 W/(m²K). Heating System: Worcester 12i LPG boiler supplying one radiator to each room and towel rail to each bathroom.300L horizontal hot water cylinder. Ventilation: Paul Novus 300 MVHR heat recovery ventilation system – 88.7% final effective heat recovery efficiency. |
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Project team:
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Architects: Gresford Architects Ltd Certifier: Warm: Low Energy Building Practice Building Society: Ecology Building Society Project Management: Trunk Low Energy Building Main Contractor: MBC Timber Frame MVHR Design: Green Building Store |
Further information:
The clients are now seeking to sell the property. For a chance to live in a contemporary yet ultra-energy efficent home, visit Knight Frank for further information.
Photography courtesy of (c) Quintin Lake.
