Our client for this project had purchased a house with a view to creating a warm and comfortable home. They had recently retired and wanted flexibility for themselves and for caring for their grandchildren and an elderly parent. The house, built in the 1920s, had small rooms, a cramped entrance and staircase, and was poorly insulated. The spatial objectives of the project included a large open-plan kitchen and living room, opening up the circulation space and removing the change in level at first floor, with the bathroom accessed from a half-landing. The brief was met by a two storey zinc-clad extension, with a bathroom at both levels, and a single storey extension with large sliding doors opening up to the garden.
Environmentally the intention was to significantly reducing heat loss and install an air-source heat-pump, enabling the house to be disconnected from the gas network. The existing house was insulated with external wall insulation to the existing brickwork, new double-glazed windows and new insulation to the roof and floor. As part of the retrofit work a demand-controlled mechanical ventilation system was installed, together with 12 solar panels, providing an estimated 5kW clean renewable energy source. As a result of the works the Energy Performance of the house was increased from EPC 55D to EPC 89B. With provision for the future installation of a battery the EPC could be increased to EPC A.
Contractor: BCS Building Contractor & Services Ltd
Heat pump and solar panels: Elite Renewables
Energy consultant:
Completed: 2024
