We were delighted to see Architecture Vogue Magazine run an article on quickSAP for Home Energy Modelling, the new plugin for Sketchup that we’ve created to allow architects and designers to run energy use calculations directly in Sketchup and to test design ideas for energy efficiency as well as producing detailed results for use in Energy Statements with indicative CO2 emissions, SAP and EPC Ratings.

Head over to www.quicksap.com to see more details and to download a free 14 day trial now!

A standing seam metal roofing with self-coloured silicone anti-crack render and narrow rainscreen larch cladding and zinc rainwater goods give a contemporary aesthetic to the traditional building forms of a T-shaped plan, steep duo-pitched roofs and gable ends. Large first floor windows with juliette balconies maximise views to the south and the open pergola structure gives a partially sheltered outdoor entertaining space. The simple pergola design is echoed in the design of the front porch.

MBC Timbeframe will be responsible for the foundations, superstructure, insulation and air-tightness using their Passivhaus Twin-wall system and Passivslab raft foundation.

Passivhaus buildings provide a high level of occupant comfort while using very little energy for heating and cooling and Certification is through the Passivhaus Institute.  For more details on what benefits designing to Passivhaus standards can give your new home please click here.

The building is to be built for private client using the same timberframe system that so many of our latest projects employ to ensure low energy bills, cost effective and quick construction and a comfortable home environment.

One expert company in renewable technology has done some more digging in to this and isn’t quite as convinced as the tabloids appear to be.

According to www.energist.co.uk there is some discrepancy in what has been reported and what was actually said:

https://www.energistuk.co.uk/knowledge-bank/articles/gas-boilers-to-be-banned-in-2025-we-dont-think-so.php

At BWP Architects we have been advising private clients planning their own homes to push insulation levels up and up while pushing air-permeability down and down. In addition, sensible planning of bathrooms and hot water storage locations can significantly reduce wastage of hot water by reducing lengths of pipework. It is far better to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat your home and water in the first place and then deal with how one creates that heat next. This is one of the core Passivhaus principals of design along with consideration of limiting solar overheating from summer sun while maximising solar gains from winter sun, looking at the volume efficiency of a new home, maintaining fresh air etc all to create highly energy efficient and comfortable homes to live in.

By reducing the requirement for heating it brings in to play the option of using heat source pumps (air, ground or even water) as they become more efficient as the demands are lower.

Of course, as the Energist article above highlights, heat pumps can be heavy on electricity requirements so coupling these with a large array of Photovoltaic panels and battery storage makes perfect sense.

Finally, the Government saying they are committed to something and then this actually actually translating into legislation are often very far apart… it wasn’t that long ago that the Government were committed to all new housing being zero-carbon by 2016!

From a shortlist of eight projects the new house has been awarded “Best Eco House” in the 2018 Build It awards.

Constructed by MBC Timberframe the house is based on Passivhaus principals of high levels of insulation and air-tightness to drive down energy usage while sensitive detailing of overhangs and deep window reveals ensures that solar gains are controlled to the months when they can contribute to comfortable living in the house and eliminated in summer months to avoid overheating.

Facts & Information

• The UK Property Awards are judged by an independent panel of 80 industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability.
• The judging panel is chaired by Lord Caithness, Lord Best, The Earl of Liverpool, and Lord Thurso, members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament.
• Salice, the world leader in the field of opening systems and fittings, is the 2018 Associate Sponsor of the UK Property Awards and the International Property Awards as a whole.
• Italian based Salice supplies a range of more than 3,000 products to a worldwide network of subsidiaries, sole agents and distributors covering all areas of furniture production. The brand is one of most highly-regarded by small, medium-sized and large companies within the furniture industry serving kitchen and furniture producers in more than 87 countries. salice.com
• The UK Property Awards are the largest, most prestigious, and widely recognised programme throughout the region.
• The official Awards website is propertyawards.net

The IPAX UK & Europe Global exhibition and networking event will be taking place on the 25^th  October at Royal Lancaster, London alongside the European Property Awards, offering an exclusive networking arena for industry professionals. For more information, please visit: https://www.ipaxglobal.com/uk-europe/

The Awards are in their 25^th year and cover over 45 different residential and commercial categories. Regional Awards are staged for Arabia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Central & South America, the Caribbean, USA, UK and Asia Pacific. These will be celebrated at gala presentation events in Bangkok, Dubai, London and Toronto during the course of the year.

• The top winners in each region will automatically be entered in to the overall international awards, culminating in a glittering awards ceremony, held at the Savoy Hotel, London, on 3^rd December 2018.

For more information on the project grab yourself a copy of the magazine and see our project page here.