Wind turbines and banks of PV panels on the roof advertise that this house – and its occupants – place energy generation and responsible living at the heart of family life. The design of the south elevation, featuring open terraces, shaded overhangs and fixed brise soleil, maximises the benefits of passive solar gain while minimising the problems.

Design:

The design of the south-facing facade scoops up solar energy and daylight to minimise the use of energy for heating and lighting. while the north-facing elevation features smaller window apertures and a denser construction to help trap heat energy inside. The house would also have a mechanical heat recovery system, capable of pre-warming intake air and venting exhaust air at roof level. Ducting for the system would be incorporated inside internal partitions and suspended floor voids. To help occupants pursue a sustainable lifestyle, the architects have included a composting chamber in the kitchen, and recycling chutes linked to ground floor receptacle to add an element of fun. The compost and captured rainwater can be used to nurture a vegetable patch.

Technical:

A greywater filter will use ultraviolet light to treat water from the shower, bath and washing machine, allowing up to 47% of the water to be reused.
Sinking a borehole 100m deep would allow a ground source heat pump to power a 10 kW closed loop underfloor heating system
Triple-glazed windows would be filed with insulating krypton gas

Innovation:

The methane created in the composting chamber – thirty times more potent than CO2 - could be collected for sale or used in a district heating system

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