In the centre of each house is a heart. Here the family eat, talk, relax, learn and work. A house is a place to be proud of and to call your own. The house must welcome you and your friends. Although always belonging to the street, the front door and entrance soon become familiar and personal. The simplicity of the layout, based around a clearly defined core, provides easy-to-understand circulation and flexible spaces. The boundary between the interior and the private garden space is blurred with a double height sash window and a split-level garden. Light floods in and the house can open itself to the outside while maintaining a sense of security. The house construction is honest and legible. This turns it into a timeless and desirable place to live.
The technologies
The key to longevity is flexibility. The family living in this house could include toddlers or grown-up teenage children or elderly relatives or other adults. The house is a Lifetime Home by compliance and by philosophy. There is flexibility to convert the upper living space to a guest bedspace or the live/work unit to a self-contained flat for a teenager or elderly relative. The generous heart to the house remains consistent.
The construction and environmental approach are simple and effective. A whole house ventilation system with air source heat pump and heat exchanger work in the background. Grey water is collected, food waste composted and the electric car charged all within four highly efficient, thermally insulated walls. The end result is an honest house and a happy family.
Key features
The house is designed to level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes, and its features include the following.
Energy and CO2 emissions:
• 69 per cent improvement of dwelling emission rate over target emission rate
• Heat loss parameter less than 1.30
• More than 75 per cent of fixed internal light fittings are energy efficient
• 6m-plus drying space for drying clothes
• A+ rated fridge and freezers, A rated washing machine
• External energy efficient space lighting
• Energy supplied by local renewable or low carbon technologies with a
15 per cent reduction in carbon emissions
• 1 cycle per dwelling
• Space for home office. Water:
• Less than 80 litres of water per person per day
• Correctly specified system to collect rainwater for external/internal irrigation use. Materials:
• Roof, external and internal walls, upper and ground floor and windows
Green Guide A+ to D and Code Mat 1 calculator used
• Almost 80 per cent of the assessed materials are responsibly sourced (frame, ground floor, upper floors, roof, external walls, internal walls, foundations, staircase) and 100 per cent of timber legally sourced. Surface water run-off:
• Sustainable urban drainage system used to improve water quality of the rainwater discharged. Waste:
• Waste storage provision of 100 litres plus 70 litres per additional bedroom
• three separate bins (each at least 7 litres) with 30 litres total capacity
• Site Waste Management Plan and licensed external contractor
• Individual home composting facilities. Pollution:
• All insulating materials have a global warming potential of less than 5
• Dry NOX level 41-70 and boiler class 5. Health and wellbeing
• Kitchen has a minimum average daylight factor of at least 2 per cent
• Living room, dining room, study/home office has a minimum average daylight factor of at least 1.5 per cent
• Airborne sound insulation at least 5dB higher and impact 5dB lower than
Building Regulations
• Private outdoor seating space for everyone
• Lifetime Homes compliant. Management
• Home user guide and information relating to site
• Considerate Contractors Scheme and going significantly beyond best practice
• Incorporation of recommendations of crime prevention design officer. Ecology
• Development site is land of inherently low ecological value
• Qualified ecologist recommends appropriate features to enhance site
• All existing features of ecological value are protected or maintained during all aspects of construction
• Minor enhancement of the ecological value of the development
Net internal area (NIA): NIA ground floor is greater than or equal to 3.5.
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