Our next project is in the making. We have some initial concept and will meet with the builder next week to discuss some preliminary to check out ideas, workability and general design.
There are a few aims we would like to achieve:
- Minimal cost
- Maximum insulation
- Maximum airtightness
- Minimum heatloss
- Healthy materials
- Extra bracing
- Near passive house
- Minimal electricity consumption
- Maximum natural lighting
- No gadgets
The project is a new facade including cladding, roof, windows and insulation to an existing 1960's house with an extension. The extension itself will be a standard box, similar as the existing one. Passive solar design won't be really achievable as the existing part is orientated the wrong way. This time, we therefore rather aim for a near-passive house to minimise heating and electricity demand. The cost to use a passive solar design would be far too high. Yet we will have no ventilation systems but a well insulated shell and a good airtightness.
The site is very windy, so we need extra bracing and good weathertightness for the joinery. The joinery will be european uPVC tilt&turn/sliders. They are still superior in terms of weathertightness and insulation. A few other options are available but at a much higher cost, a price difference that does not warrant the potential ecological benefits. See the various window LCA's on our site.
The insulation will be polyester, still the best inert and pure product around.
The roof is going to be long run metal roofing on trusses, nothing special.
Let's see how we go with the very limited budget.