projects from previous practice | ragdresow a sodhow kyns

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Penhallow is a self-built, 4-bedroom house and garage designed to meet the AECB Low Energy Standard, designed by Director Mark Elton while at Cowan Architects. Constructed with a highly insulated raft foundation and twin-stud timber frame construction, the client was looking for a low running cost, low maintenance home that would allow this Cornish family to remain in their village well into old age. Benefitting from sea views facing the winter sun, the client wanted a contemporary Cornish vernacular-style dwelling on the plot which was considered, in planning terms, to be 'rounding off' the settlement boundary. Using a combination 

The 'simplehaus' design concept rose to the NaCSBA design challenge of an affordable, self-build home that met the highest standards of energy efficient design. Utilising the unique combination of buildability and low energy performance provided by the (now-withdrawn) RockShell walling system, coupled with the design rigour of the Passivhaus standard, Simplehaus provides a comfortable and spacious home for a family of four that cost just a few pounds to heat annually.  Envisaged as an 85m² contemporary cottage, Simplehaus is based an uncomplicated aesthetic and an efficient, solar-biased layout, whilst also delivering state-of-the-art efficiency and living standards. Super-insulated fabric, triple-glazed windows and whole house heat-recovery ventilation keep the building cosy and healthy in winter; natural cross-ventilation, tall ceilings and external louvre blinds keep the building cool in summer. The open-plan living area provides space for relaxing, cooking, dining and working. 

This commercial development for major building materials supplier Wolseley UK, was commissioned to promote and showcase sustainable materials and technologies in their supply chain. The challenge for Awen Director, Mark Elton, (then lead designer at ECDA) was to incorporate a vast range of different materials and components in a coherent and aesthetically pleasing manner all the while expressing the principles of sustainable design. 

The concept design envisaged two distinct volumes, one single-storey to the north, the other 2-storey to the south, joined by a double height glazed 'street'. The south wing utilised new pre-cast construction techniques and other innovative systems including 'bubbledeck' floor slabs, timber triple-

In the Thamesmead estate, south-east London, Sustainable by Design undertook one of the largest pre-fabricated refurbishment projects in the UK with social housing provider Peabody. The 5-storey scheme originally comprised nine 3-bed maisonettes and nine 4-bed maisonettes stacked above parking garages. The retrofit was implemented using an innovative prefabricated timber cassette approach developed by contractor Gumpp & Maier. Based on precise laser survey information, external wall components were fabricated in Gumpp & Maier’s Bavarian factory from timber stud cassettes filled with cellulose insulation which were then fitted with triple-glazed windows, doors and rain screen cladding. The storey-high timber cassettes were transported to site and craned onto pre-positioned load-bearing battens, taking just days to complete an entire facade. 

The existing PVC windows and spandrels were then removed internally and the zone between new cladding and concrete facade insulated and lined to give a U-value of 0.13 W/m²K. A new ventilated pitched roof was added over the original flat roof and lantern to move rainwater goods to the outside of the building and the zinc shingles were also installed in-situ. A final intervention required the retrofit of heat recovery ventilation systems and replacement boilers, although further fit-out work internally was implemented by the new social landlord.

The targeted 80% reduction in heating demand eradicates fuel poverty and shows what can be achieved through applying Passivhaus principles to large-scale prefabricated retrofit in terms of health, well-being and transformative effect of architecture.

A Cornish family's desire to extend their property to suit a growing household, together with their commitment to a lower carbon lifestyle, led to this opportunity to 'improve not move'. The 2-storey rear extension provided a  new bedroom and bathroom at first floor whilst, at ground level, the kitchen and dining space were re-configured to address the tiered garden to the rear. Timber-framed construction allowed high levels of insulation between and over the studwork under a facing of shiplap cedar cladding boards. 

The stone wool insulation was continued beyond the extension to fully wrap the existing chalet bungalow walls and finished with a vapour-open coating of white silicone render. With stone wool insulation also added to the floor, via the accessible sub-floor void, and to the roof, by removing the existing slates to fit over-rafter insulation, the dwelling was comprehensively thermally upgraded. 

Rooflights and light pipes were added to bring light and views deep into the landing. Centralised mechanical extract ventilation draws in fresh air whilst removing stale moist air from the habitable rooms and bathrooms.

With around 300mm of non-combustible stone wool insulation added to external walls, more across the roof, and triple-glazed airtight windows, heat losses from dwellings were dramatically reduced - by around 80%. The inner facades were reconfigured to enclose deck access walkways and rooms were extended to give more living space - all the simplifying the form of the building which would otherwise have been very complex to insulate without excessive cold thermal bridges. 

Heat recovery ventilation was retrofitted into existing cupboards and ceiling voids to provide pre-warmed fresh air to all rooms, eradicting the previous health issues of condensation and mould growth. 

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