Low Energy Buildings Database

Compton, Berkshire

This project involves a radical whole house approach to the refurbishment of a 1950s semi detached property. The idea is to upgrade the thermal performance. Our approach to energy saving and CO2 reduction is to follow a lean-clean-green hierarchy: seeking to minimise heat losses from the propertys thermal fabric and ventilation method; to supply residual space and water heating using replicable, low carbon technology; to minimise lighting and appliance energy loads; and finally to consider micro-generation using proven, renewable energy systems.

Construction type	Masonry Cavity	Project type	Refurbishment
Property type	Semi-Detached	Sector	Public Residential
Location	Compton Berkshire	Project owner	ECD Architects
Retrofit for the future	ZA343S

Conservation Area retrofit

The project is to retrofit a mid-terrace Victorian house in a Conservation Area. The residents are to be occupation throughout. The proposal is to internally insulate most of the walls with aerogels, with the exception of the ground floor kitchen extension, which will be externally insulated. Air permeability will be improved to 5 m3/m2/hr. The space heating will be provided by an efficient gas boiler. Water heating will be delivered by a solar thermal system with a heat pump recovering heat from an integrated Passive Stack Ventilation system. Electricity will be provided by Solar PV and demand will be reduced by installing energy efficient appliances and low energy lighting.

Construction type	Solid Brick	Project type	Refurbishment
Property type	Mid Terrace	Sector	Public Residential
Location	London London	Project owner	Peabody
Retrofit for the future	ZA234Y

Cottage retrofit, Chale Green, Isle of Wight

This project will focus on a dwelling typical for this area and will seek to establish a complementary and replicable set of measures which significantly reduce energy use and CO2 emissions associated with this particular type of property. The measures are intended to be carried out whilst the property remains unoccupied. It is intended that the findings will inform the remainder of SWHAs similar properties, and will also be widely applicable to other social landlords or building owners with similar stock, since there are around 7 million solid-walled properties in the UK.

Construction type	Solid Brick	Project type	Refurbishment
Property type	Semi-Detached	Sector	Public Residential
Location	Chale Green Isle of Wight	Project owner	ECD Architects
Retrofit for the future	ZA629H

Coventry Eco House

A project vision for Coventry & Warwickshire FORCE Group to design and build two 3 bedroom detached houses for Orbit Homes that met the needs of the local community and to comprehensively assess the effects of building to UK Code Level 6 and to Passivhaus standard within a restricted budget. Both houses have received Passivhaus certification and one built to Code Level 6.

Construction type	Softwood frame	Project type	New build
Property type	Semi-Detached	Sector	Public Residential
Location	Coventry West Midlands	Project owner	Orbit
	Passivhaus certified building