by Hawkes Architecture
(01580 895 106; hawkesarchitecture.co.uk)
Images
Brief
A single 4-bedroom family dwelling in the Kent countryside sitting comfortably within the rural landscape through all seasons, day and night.
Minimise the need for external resources; gas, water, electricity, food. Light, healthy, spacious and airy feel.
The highest standards of insulation, air tightness, triple glazing & high thermal mass. Incorporating the latest innovative renewable technologies and energy saving devices to conserve precious resources.
Use local and sustainable materials, crafts and trades in order to benefit the local community in its construction.
Incorporate the means to measure & determine all aspects of building and user performance for ongoing research purposes.
Solution
Passive solar design maximises internal daylight.
Solar energy is harnessed to provide all energy needs.
Heat recovery ventilation plus natural paints & finishes provide a healthy living environment.
The clay tile arch helps regulate internal temperature and control relative humidity.
The native planted living roof provides new habitats for insects and birds and enables the building to change with the seasons.
On site waste water treatment & rainwater harvesting for WC's, washing machine and irrigating vegetable patch mitigates the building's environmental impact.
English cedar cladding and local clay bricks & tiles reinforce the building's sense of place. Food grown onsite.
Additional & Environmental Information
Solar energy is harnessed as heat and power using Phase Change Materials and 26m2 of a clever new combined photovoltaic & solar thermal panel called PVT.
91% efficient Heat recovery ventilation system with a 4KW heat register supplying top-up heat to fresh air with stored solar energy.
A clay tile arch spanning 20m yet only 120mm thick supports a 300mm deep living roof planted with seeds from a local nature reserve.
The sculptural building form hides windows from neighbours & distant views to minimise visual impact at night.
50% GGBS cement replacement concrete slab, 300mm thick newspaper insulation (0.12W/m2K U-value), crushed glass bottles & car tyre flooring among various waste used in construction.
Timber framed triple glazing (0.7W/m2K U-value).
On site waste water treatment. Rainwater harvesting for WC's, washing machine and irrigating vegetable patch.
Cambridge University monitoring thermal and humidity data + energy generation & use patterns for ongoing research.
