CASE STUDY


A SUSTAINABLE RETROFIT


n the retrofi t and extension of his old bungalow, ichael Collins has teased something special out of the ordinary.


TEXT ALEXANDRA PRATT IMAGES JACOB MILLIGAN S


ometimes, the perfect home project doesn’t need to be the dream building plot. Sometimes, it can be a tired 1930s bungalow in a good area close to the station. Providing, that is, you can see the building’s potential. Architect Michael Collins and his wife Anna saw that potential when they bought their modest two bedroom bungalow in Hertfordshire in 2016. Located next to a nature reserve, the bungalow “wasn’t well looked after,” recalls Michael. “And the building left a lot to be desired, but it was a sizable plot, 50 metres deep, with a good long garden.” With a small baby taking up much of their time and another on the way, Michael and Anna waited three years before starting work on their home in 2019. Spread over several phases, their project added a single storey extension to the rear, created two additional bedrooms and a shower room in the attic and gave the existing building a deep retrofi t. he result is an extraordinary home that keeps its traditional appearance at the front, yet is innovative, sophisticated and perfectly tailored to the demands of busy family life.


he two constraints ichael faced when planning the changes to their home were the budget and environmental concerns. While energy effi ciency was a key goal, ichael was also keen to make sure that any new materials had ‘low embodied carbon’ – for example, the products they chose were produced with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In practical terms, this meant Michael chose timber rather than steel in the construction.


his was also part of their decision to build the


new rear extension at 90 degrees to the back of the existing home, rather than along the width. hat approach, ichael believes, cuts out a lot of light in the original building. urning the m x 4m extension at a right angle created a sheltered and private courtyard garden, with more light in both old and new parts of the building and a better seuence of spaces. he extension is


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home to the living room and, at the far end, the offi ce, while the kitchen remains in its original position at the back of the bungalow. “Budget was a massive part of that decision,” admits Michael. “But it also avoids the use of steel, as we had to retain the original openings.” he original kitchen is now a spacious open plan kitchen and dining room. he bright and modern decor also hides a key design feature; a ‘secret’ utility room, tucked behind the panelling next to the dining table. Despite the fact there is no window or external door in this room, Anna and Michael can use it to dry laundry, thanks to the mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system they installed as part of the retrofi t. he VR removes moist air and replaces it with fresh air in an energyeffi cient way, using a heat exchanger to extract the heat before expelling the stale air.


Clever storage ideas also make the most of the space upstairs in the new bedrooms. In the master bedroom, for example, Michael pushed back the structure to create additional space. Rather than install conventional bedside tables, he built lowlevel drawers into the wall a trick that not only reduces clutter but cuts back on dusting! Discrete panels on either side of the bed also open to reveal hidden wardrobe space. Costeffective and sustainable material choices


were key to the success of this project, and the most striking of these is perhaps the green roof on the extension. With exceptional insulating properties, it keeps heating bills down and is a nod to the meadow across the road, against which the new extension sits comfortably. A green roof is a good system for water


retention and the water is used by the plants that would otherwise run into a soakaway. Rather than choose the more common sedum roof, ichael and Anna opted for wildfl owers, which not only attract pollinators but bring birds closer to the house. he meadowlike planting also draws a visual connection to the garden beyond, as well as to the neighbouring nature reserve.


HIGH POINT


“When big things happen such as the roof going on. hat was a big step forward.”


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