PROFILE
Breaking the mold Designed using sustainable materials, with a contribution from BASF, the Lofthome is affordable, beautiful – and as Lofthome architect Robert van Kats explains, it is proving very popular. If sustainable construction demands a new way of thinking and working, the creators of Lofthome share BASF’s pioneering spirit. A Lofthome is a residential home that is both affordable and energy efficient. Available in the Netherlands and, most recently, Belgium, each Lofthome is built to order, with scope for the client to choose their own layout. The team behind Lofthome has broken the mold – both in terms of its design and its conception. “In the Netherlands, the traditional process is that the architect comes up with the design, you find a contractor, and the house gets built,” explains Robert van Kats, Architect Director of Blok Kats van Veen architects, and co-creator of Lofthome. “But Lofthome is the result of a collaboration of the architects, a city marketer and the contractor.”
A collaborative approach
This collaborative approach has allowed Lofthome’s creators to make the entire construction process more efficient. The structure of the home is engineered off-site, reducing the actual construction phase to just two months. “That in itself is a form of sustainability as the process is so short,” says van Kats. The Lofthome team also worked together to identify the most sustainable materials. Among these was BASF’s Elastopir®, a polyurethane foam used in the sandwich panels that make up the facade of each Lofthome. BASF developed this durable, fireresistant foam to offer the highest level of insulation possible – a major factor in developing low-energy buildings. In the case of The steel and glass construction is a refreshing departure Lofthome, the insulation level is almost double that required by from the brickwork of more traditional homes in the current Dutch building regulations. The design also includes heat Netherlands. recovery ventilation units, solar water heaters, triple glass walls, and other sustainable features – and every material used can be recycled.
A marriage of sustainability and design
This marriage of sustainability with design aesthetic is important for van Kats and his team: “For us, sustainability is an integral aspect of design. There’s no compromising.” It is an approach that many argue needs to be more widely adopted, and van Kats agrees: “I believe our professional field can contribute to a sustainable future in terms of constructing cities – but we need a lot of steps. If you arrange a good team of people [that includes] organizations and government, which really sets out a vision and a goal to have a low-energy-use city, you’ve already achieved a lot. Then you can start working on the future.” For us, sustainability is an integral aspect of design. There’s no compromising.
Contact Us:
BASF Holdings South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Petra Bezuidenhout Head of Communications E-mail:petra.bezuidenhout@basf.com www.basf.co.za
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The Lofthome’s versatile design gives clients the freedom to create their own layout.
2/9/2012 11:43:00 AM