Description

These 7 terraced homes constitute the world’s first commercially available straw eco-homes. Behind the traditional brick elevation of the development is a state of the art, well insulated, prefabricated, low-carbon straw bale construction system: the BM Trada Q Mark certified ModCell Core system.

The homes include individual Passivhaus certified Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units for good indoor air quality and minimal energy loss. Thermal comfort is provided through high levels of thermal insulation, double-glazed argon-filled low-e windows with “warm edge” spacers between the glazing and PVC frames, reduced thermal bridges, and reduced air leakage through the envelope. Individual air source heat pump units provide space heating and hot water generation. Each home is fitted with a 2.2 kWp grid-tied solar PV array, A++ appliances and broad-spectrum LED lighting.

Passivhaus consultancy included PHPP energy simulation and performance optimisation, and thermal envelope design. M&E engineering included heating and DHW production with an air-source heat pump, together with ducted mechanical ventilation with heat recovery.