where it is used to heat up fresh air, which is then re-circulated to the rest of the building. In the summer the MVHR unit has a summer time bypass, which allows hot air to be dumped outside the building and only cool fresh air to be re-circulated. All of this magic will be concealed behind a suspended ceiling system to produce a clean modern internal finish. The Passivhaus Certified Optwin windows have now
been installed by a group of expert fitters. This Passivhaus Certification process, carried out by the Passivhaus Institute, puts the windows through rigorous tests to check for high levels of airtightness and thermal performance. The installation of the windows has been made further more complex by the crescent shape of the building. This has lead to the windows having to be carefully designed to ensure that they do not detract from the smooth sleek curve of the building. The windows are faceted making standard straight windows look curved. Faceting is created by installing one window abutting the next, albeit at a slightly different angle in order to follow the curvature of the building. It is generally considered that the installation of the windows play a critical part in obtaining the airtightness, which is required on this build. Getting this right has required considerable attention to detail by the construction team on site. Now that the windows have been installed the building has
been transformed and is beginning to feel like a home. The large windows are starting to give a teasing insight into the feel of the internal rooms. Bright, crisp shadows are now evident on lovely sunny days with the windows helping to frame the fantastic panoramic views at every opportunity. The core idea behind the building design is pushing the
envelope whilst maintaining balance between energy efficiency and a high design concept. The building has been thermally modelled within IES, and shows that the curved design does not compromise the performance. In fact it is this specific design that actually enhances it.
By Jo Saady BA, founding and creative director of Ecotecture. Enq. 110 FACETED WINDOWS MAKING STRAIGHT WINDOWS LOOK CURVED.
Enq. 111
selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.eu
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