Eco & Green


dard, and our number one source for advice and guidance was Ecomerchant. “Our approach being ‘fabric first,’ all of the new


build element has been built using a monolithic walling system in conjunction with fibre board external insulation and a mix of lime render and timber cladding systems. The external wall has a design u value of 0.14. This type of construction provides a flexible


system that is incredibly fast to build with; our builders likened it to building with lego! The storey and half extension to the front elevation probably only took the equivalent of one man working for three days full time to build. This breatheable con- struction system with its thermal mass offers a simple route to good long lasting air tightness. In the continent this form of construction is known as Ziegel, and is proven over hundreds of years and many thousands of buildings. “The roof structures copied the existing A


A sustainable future B


ack in December 2008, Kevin and Kim pur- chased Sugar Loaf Farm. The property needed upgrading, and in early 2009 they


turned their attention to how best to improve it.“ We started a long journey, with the aim to make things better from an aesthetic, environmental and social perspective” says Kevin. “Our own understanding of the issues has provided a good foundation, but throughout the process we have had considerable input from experts in sustain- able and low environmental impact building.” The remodelled and extended farmhouse will


provide some 6,000 sq ft of family accommoda- tion, and although a single dwelling, it will effec- tively be divided into three units, all with their own separate access. Kevin and his wife will occupy part of the house, their daughter Sophie, her husband and two daughters the largest share, and their youngest son Ben will also have his own accommodation. Kevin believes everything they have achieved is


consistent with a common sense approach to the role of the built environment. High on this agenda is the need for us all to reduce our impact on the envi-


ronment, especially that of the existing housing stock, and for families to take greater responsibility for each other within local communities. After gaining planning permission the project


got underway immediately. Working within a limited budget, Kevin chose a building notice approach as opposed to detailed specification and building regulation drawings. “We were confident in our ability to manage


the contract as a family, based on our understand- ing of building and materials, and that construc- tion is basically a simple process that need not be as complicated as portrayed in Grand Design type programmes! In hindsight, we could have made life easier for ourselves if we had decided on the materials and construction methods in conjunc- tion with the design. This only serves to underline the importance of product and system knowledge across all sectors of the construction industry. “We wanted to use materials that were of low


environmental impact and to create a healthy, breathable home to live in and one that required minimal energy. We benchmarked our perform- ance requirements against the Passivhaus stan-


beams from the original farmhouse and this approach made it straightforward to install 35mm fibre board externally and 250mm of insulation within 150mm and 100mm rafters and intelligent membrane, providing a U value of 0.15. The tradi- tional approach to the roof structure has enabled the property to benefit from a host of vaulted ceil- ings, providing additional light and space. “Existing slates have been re-used on the


house (front elevation) together with table stones keeping the traditional styling. Slates have been used on all the new build roofs together with roof lights and sun tubes. “The fabric first approach and the use of natural


materials had brought its own challenges, with many products being used by the contractor for the first time. This has made parts of the build process much more labour intensive and increased costs, but also made us realise that the extra effort has been expended working with the right materials doing the best things. The old saying ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ is brought to mind.” Choosing the contractor and deciding on the


best methodology for the construction process is a key decision. Kevin and Kim chose a local general builder that they’d known for over 20 years. The small firm took on board most of the first fix elements; groundworks and foundations, construction of the shell, first fix carpentry, roof timbers, slating and lead work. This approach reduced the number of sub con- tractors used on the project and enabled greater


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