Issue 12, Vol 5 Out Now
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Featured Article
| International selection |
Innovative low energy construction is rarely recognised on a European
scale. The Isover Energy Efficiency Awards are one exception — here are
nominations from across the continent that were celebrated at the
European awards ceremony in Barcelona on 2 June
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Official magazine of Easca  |
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Carrigaline passive house |
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Tuesday, 15 November 2011 |
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Page 3 of 4
"Airtightness was a major issue," adds John Kiely, electrician on the project. He says building airtight meant all electrical runs had to be planned in detail with the architect and contractor before work started. "It obviously took longer than usual, but paying attention to detail was very important. I would have made all my staff aware of airtightness and how important it was."
John Morehead adds: “There's quite a busy road across the river, and you can't hear a squeak. I think it's a lot to do with the airtightness achieved. It’s absolutely silent in there.”
He attributes the struggle to get to the passive airtightness standard to the complex shape and articulation of the house. A large folding wall on the first floor divides the main living space from the porch outside. “Quite a substantial area of the accommodation can be opened up to the elements outside the heating season, taking account of the fact that the principal accommodation is located on the upper floor level. The deep roof overhangs and balcony actively prevent overheating in summer,” he says.
The design of the house was “heavily influenced by the fact we were on a water frontage”, he adds — for a start, the living spaces are upstairs while bedrooms are downstairs. “We wanted to maximise the views down to the river and facilitate and encourage family activity, inside and out, on the upper level.”
Patented heating design
Morehead took an unconventional approach when deciding how to heat the house — he designed a unique infra-red heating system that he’s since patented. “We’ve got localised infra-red emitters using ceramic elements manufactured in west Cork,” he explains. He says infra-red radiation has a wavelength that’s easily absorbed by the skin, meaning it can heat the occupants of the house easily at a lower temperature than is usually required. The house should be run at 18C – in contrast 20C or 22C might be typical in a conventionally heated house.
Morehead says that because it only generates a wavelength that is “useful”, it’s extremely efficient. “It heats the person but not the air, permitting the ambient temperature to be maintained throughout the dwelling.”
The system can be activated individually in selected rooms, allowing the O’Learys to maintain comfort as required on a room-by-room basis. Powered by mains electricity, it’s also integrated with the house's heat recovery ventilation system. Sally was happy to be a guinea pig for the infra-red system. “[John Morehead] lent me a prototype that I put in the kitchen and I didn’t want to give it back,” she laughs. “If he could design one for every woman’s handbag he’d be the richest man in the country.”
(below right, bottom right) Airtightness was crucial
on the build as the team sought to reach the
passive house standard, and timber frame joints
were sealed carefully with Pro Clima Tescon airtightness
tapes; (below middle) the ground floor
was constructed with insulated concrete formwork;
(below left) a Paul Santos heat recovery
ventilation system, which is certified by the Passive
House Institute, was installed at the house;
(bottom middle) Isokorb thermal breaks prevent
cold bridging where the balcony meets the ICF
Three square metres of Kingspan Thermomax solar thermal collectors help provide hot water, and a Paul Santos 370 DC heat recovery ventilation system supplied by Ollie McPhilips Ltd features too. The unit is certified by the Passive House Institute to deliver a heat recovery rate of 84%, and achieves 92.7 % efficiency according to the EN 308 testing standard. The Santos unit was installed along with Paul Octopus Easy Flex flexible ducting.
The O’Learys moved in to the house in April. “At the moment we’re running at a comfortable 20 degrees of temperature constantly, and that’s without heating,” Sally told Construct Ireland in June. “We’re looking forward to minus ten this year! We don’t have any worries.” She jokes that when it does get cold they can “always do something mad like turn on a towel rail.”
The upper level was built with an Eco timber Frame system and clad externally with Austrian larch
Contractor Brian Twomey says the house presented a combination of challenges — a tricky structure, a unique design and the need to hit the passive standard. “It's easy to do one but trying to do all just made it that bit more complicated. Every time you consider a junction you have to consider the thermal bridging, the structure, the airtightness and then you've got to consider the aesthetics."
The team analysed the house using thermography to look for cold bridging during the cold snap in January. “We did a lot of work there with the camera during the cold spell and it was remarkable the lack of cold bridging. Obviously the client hasn't been through a full winter, but we found at the depths of winter...you had guys working inside in their t-shirts,” Twomey says.
John Morehead says working with a trusting client and a great team made a potentially awkward build much easier. “It was a joy to work on, which can be rare for such a complex project,” he says.
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