1950s House in Monmouth

Major remodelling and external insulation has breathed new life into this previously hard to heat home in Monmouth. Working with Dempsey Decourcey Architects we managed to reconfigure the internal spaces to avoid the need to build an extension as had been previously assumed.

The normally difficult to treat internal garage became a new bedroom. The upstairs living, dining and sitting rooms were combined into one open plan space with great daylight and views.

Welsh Farmhouse Retrofit

Working with Dempsey Decourcy Architects, Mike Whitfield Construction and Alan Clarke Services Engineer. 100mm of wood fibre internal insulation and a new solid ground floor to increase headroom. The first floor is supported on beams that are supported on posts on the warm side of the insulation avoiding the risk of joist end rot.

Conversion of a garage into an AECB Silver Standard Studio 2016

This is a small but beautifully detailed conversion by and for architect Adrian Cook. An innovative floating ply floor over insulation supports a new structure inside an existing garage building made of lightweight block. The oak cruck frame supports the purlins and a mezanine floor and adds interest in this tiny super-insulated building.

Conversion of Steel Frame Barn 2018

A very interesting and economical self build by Herefordshire architect Jim Rann. Only the steel frame and purlins remain but planning permission required the original structure and dimensions to be retained. Jim approached us as a Passivhaus skeptic but wanting to do something a bit better. What he has built would easily reach the Passivhaus standard if only the building had been a little taller allowing a full second floor. This is because the Passivhaus energy target is based on a 15kWh/(m2.a) heating energy limit based on useable floor area.  Heating and hot water is by air source heat pump but Jim rather sheepishly installed a wood stove as well.

The pictures show work in progress.

The steel frame and existing doubled purlins created an interesting airtightness challenge as did the agricultural insulated metal roof. Details were worked out with Jim and the builders on site and the final blower door test was a very respectable 0.45 air changes per hour at 50Pa (Passivhaus limit 0.6)