We were appointed in 2019 by our clients to develop an existing planning application for a new dwelling to the Passivhaus standard.

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Following our initial appraisal, we determined a number of issues with the existing design that would need to be reviewed in order to embrace Passivhaus principles, as well as a few that we felt could be refined to better suit the clients’ aspirations for their new home.

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A fresh application was submitted and approved in the summer of 2019.

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The house is constructed using a highly insulated engineered timber frame, standing on a highly insulated concrete slab. It is extremely air tight, the final air test confirmed just 0.19 air changes per hour by volume, with a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery MVHR and triple glazed aluminium clad windows.

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The main wing of the house, facing the highway and historic Berkhamsted Castle beyond, is finished with a lime render and slate roof. The entrance hall rises up through the house to the 2nd floor providing a dynamic circulation volume which serves the living and sleeping accommodation.

In contrast, the rear wing which contains the kitchen / dining / family space and master bedroom suite above, is of contemporary appearance with vertical timber cladding and metal roof.

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The property uses a ground source heat pump and PV panels for its energy needs.

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The house was awarded the Hertfordshire Association of Architecture Sustainability award 2022.