Lark Rise

The Bere Architect team worked with Holbrook; a timber frame company, which helped them to achieve the correct airtightness and cold bridging system that led them to getting the passivhaus standards, but also limiting the embodied carbon by using locally sourced timber. They used closed panel system, as part of their timer material, to achieve a very low u-value, even for the passivhaus building requirements. The u-values they had were, external walls at 0.095 W/(m2K), roof at 0.074 W/(m2K) and floor slab at 0.076 W/(m2K). but with such thick insulation, it affected the aesthetics, reducing the AV ratio.

Despite having large windows, that have solar shading blinds for the summer, for the south elevation, it did cost more. However, the aesthetics hasn’t been thought through, as it doesn’t look appealing, as the building’s exterior doesn’t sit well with the natural environment. Due to the choice of the honey coloured timber façade, which may have worked better if they picked a darker tone, even though it fluctuates throughout the year. The use of the huge windows gives a great view and provides light but may also prevent them from keeping the house private and when watching the documentary, the tenants did state, it does become too hot at times.

(Berearchitects, 2020).

Also, the use of PV, is a cleaner way to use electricity, but as the house is only two floors, they are extremely visible and unappealing to the eye (BRE, N.D). Lark Rise

Photo six: (Berearchitects, 2019). Lark Rise, a residential building designed also by Bere Architects in 2015, based in Buckinghamshire. It is recognised as the first passivhaus plus building in the UK, which envisioned the concept ‘house as a power station’ because as it’s located in a Northern European climate, they wanted to find a new approach for people to use less energy as possible from the National Grid. Therefore, by designing this building they achieved this goal, as the building can produce twice more energy annually, from PV placed onto the roof,

than it uses (Passivhaus Trust, 2017).

Nevertheless, regarding its heat, the interior is kept warm and comfortable, throughout summer and winter, as it doesn’t require high demand for heat, but has a 13kWh battery in place, making the house almost totally energy independent. The architects aim was to continue this concept, ‘building as power station’, to make the houses in the UK run on renewable energy as they are cheaper and

self-controlled at home (Bere: architects, 2020).

Lark Rise maintains its own water, gas, drainage and electricity services, though the use of wind, sun and rain to independently run itself and take control of the waste. Therefore, the architect team argue that if everyone is in need of such high demand for energy, which could be controlled and used from one’s own home, then the demand for power stations will reduce, alongside not having to build, operate and fuel them. Leaving more money for sustainable, low carbon, retrofit homes.

Having followed the passivhaus principles, led them to considering the fabric first approach, as it is well insulated, preventing cold bridges and having used triple glazed windows with insulated frames, preventing cold air. As Figure eleven shows all aspects of the building which have been insulated have considered all u-values to have passed the passivhaus standards.

In comparison to Larch House, this building is aesthetically more appealing. Not only did they consider passivhaus principles, they also thought about the design criteria, by considering the clients desire for wanting the building to feel a part of the opened site.