Focus House - simpler framework for future living
Download
as PDF This low maintenance, low energy, low cost home has been designed by bere:architects as an example of a simpler framework for future living. The main objective was to achieve a compact low maintenance, energy preserving house that would allow a young couple and their children to shift the focus of their life by providing them with more actual living space by transposing the traditional space division of the Victorian house to suit present-day needs. Healthy air and water quality is ensured by selecting non-toxic materials; automatic air ventilation and water filtration for drinking and bathing. CO2 emissions are minimised due to solar thermal, low energy heat recovery ventilation, airtight construction, solid-core wood construction and e...
Focus House - simpler framework for future living : Project images
Click on image to preview full size
Energy and fuel use
Measured data from renewable generation is not yet available.
Fuel use
| Pre-development | Forecast | Measured | |
| Electricity use | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas use | - | - | - |
| Oil use | - | - | - |
| LPG use | - | - | - |
| Wood use | - | - | - |
| Other Fuel | - | - | - |
| Pre-development | Forecast | Measured | |
| Primary energy requirement | - | - | - |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ emissions | - | - | - |
| Annual space heat demand | - | 54 kWh/m².yr | - |
Renewable energy
| Electricity generation | Forecast | Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Renewables Technology | - | - |
| Other Renewables Tech | - | - |
| Electricity consumed by generation | - | - |
| Primary energy requirement offset by renewable generation | - | - |
| Annual CO₂ emissions offset by renewable generation | - | - |
Calculation and targets
| Whole house energy calculation method | |
|---|---|
| Other whole house calculation method | - |
| Energy target | AECB Silver |
| Other energy targets | - |
| Forecast heating load | - |
Airtightness
| Date | Result | |
| Pre-development air permeability test | - | - |
|---|---|---|
| Final air permeability test | 28 March 2007 | 4.6m³/m².hr @ 50 Pascals |
Project description
| Stage | Occupied |
|---|---|
| Start date | 01 August 2007 |
| Occupation date | |
| Location | London London England |
| Build type | New build |
| Building sector | Private Residential |
| Property type | Semi-Detached |
| Construction type | Other |
| Other construction type | Solid-core wood construction |
| Party wall construction | |
| Floor area | 105 m² |
| Floor area calculation method | Treated Floor Area (PHPP) |
| Building certification |
Project Team
| Organisation | bere:architects |
|---|---|
| Project lead person | bere:architects |
| Landlord or Client | Edward Gibbs |
| Architect | bere:architects |
| Mechanical & electrical consultant | bere:architects |
| Energy consultant | bere:architects |
| Structural engineer | Techniker Ltd |
| Quantity surveyor | Andrew Turner and Company |
| Consultant | |
| Contractor | Vision Build |
Design strategies
| Planned occupancy | 5 people |
|---|---|
| Space heating strategy | Heated through the air with a mechanical heat recovery ventilation and underfloor heating on the ground floor and radiators on the first and second floor. |
| Water heating strategy | Solar hot water (with gas condensating boiler top up). |
| Fuel strategy | Mains Gas. |
| Renewable energy strategy | Solar thermal |
| Passive Solar strategy | Window proportions and orientations are optimised for passive solar gain. |
| Space cooling strategy | Natural ventilation - cross ventilation |
| Daylighting strategy | Window sizes are designed in relation to the room utilisation and orientation in order to maximise daylight. |
| Ventilation strategy | Mechanical heat recovery ventilation (winter) and natural ventilation (summer). |
| Airtightness strategy | Airtight details |
| Strategy for minimising thermal bridges | Continuous insulation maintained throughout, Focus house has been designed using the thermal bridge-free approach. |
| Modelling strategy | |
| Insulation strategy | |
| Other relevant retrofit strategies | |
| Contextual information |
Building services
| Occupancy | 5 people |
|---|---|
| Space heating | |
| Hot water | |
| Ventilation | Mechanical heat recovery ventilation at 83% heat recovery efficiency. |
| Controls | |
| Cooking | |
| Lighting | 100% low energy lighting |
| Appliances | All appliances are A+ Rated |
| Renewable energy generation system | Solar thermal device |
| Strategy for minimising thermal bridges | Thermal bridge-free construction |
Building construction
| Storeys | 3 |
|---|---|
| Volume | 320m³ |
| Thermal fabric area | 105 m² |
| Roof description | Flat roof with foam glass insulation and covered by zinc. |
| Roof U-value | 0.15 W/m² K |
| Walls description | Soild core timber construction with foam glass insulation, clad in zinc. |
| Walls U-value | 0.21 W/m² K |
| Party walls description | Masonry wall with 80mm of rockwool insulation. |
| Party walls U-value | 0.24 W/m² K |
| Floor description | Concrete floor with 200mm extruded polystyrene insulation and 55mm expanded polystrene insulation. |
| Floor U-value | 0.18 W/m² K |
| Glazed doors description | |
| Glazed doors U-value | - - |
| Opaque doors description | |
| Opaque doors U-value | - - |
| Windows description | Well insulated double glazed windows with insulated frames |
| Windows U-value | 1.30 W/m² K installed |
| Windows energy transmittance (G-value) | - |
| Windows light transmittance | - |
| Rooflights description | Triple glazed roof light |
| Rooflights light transmittance | - |
| Rooflights U-value | - |