The key driving force behind this proposal is the understanding that it can be challenging to incorporate sustainability principles easily into our daily lives, and that for many people the idea of ‘green’ living is still seen as a chore.

The designers wanted to promote a holistic approach to sustainable living, incorporating technical requirements such as the Code for Sustainable Homes, and also looking at elements and spaces of the small home environment that can affect such factors as health and relaxation to see how they could be tackled in the design approach. The designers developed a set of rules to identify spaces that would allow sustainable and holistic attributes to be slotted unobtrusively into a family’s life.

The house is made from structural insulated panels (SIPS) with either an eco-lime render finish or FSC certified oak. Kingspan’s TEK system has a U-value of 0.12w/m2K when used with an external render, and 0.18w/m2K with timber cladding. This technology would allow for flexibility of wall positioning and services inside the home.

Downstairs, a service pod allows circulation space, foul drainage, wc and shower to be grouped together. Bathroom pods can serve several purposes: they can be a family bathroom with home office space; or if a house is occupied by two friends, each floor becomes a separate master-suite with bathrooms becoming ensuites and smaller bedrooms becoming home offices.

Green roof systems allow the roof to be an outdoor space, an ecological habitat, a relaxing space and to contribute to the passive environmental design of the house.

The house design also includes a ground source heat pump to provide both hot water and heating, the latter being underfloor heating at ground floor and convector radiators at higher levels. Photovoltaic tiles are incorporated in the roof. Rainwater is harvested for use in washing and toilets, and a mechanical ventilation heat recovery unit is also specified. A wood-burning stove provides top-up heat when needed, while a monitoring device allows residents to check on how much electricity they are using on different appliances.

A central vacuum unit is provided because this prevents dust from being released back into the environment so creating a healthier living environment. It also helps elderly people or expectant mums living in the house in carrying out cleaning duties.

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