Sustainability Award for a Single Building or Development
The Building and Architecture of the Year Awards celebrate architectural excellence in both building and design. They serve as a platform for architects and their buildings, spanning a diverse range of architectural styles across residential, public, commercial, and cultural sectors, allowing for thorough evaluation and appraisal.
This project is strongly related to the landscape, and uses a contemporary language influenced by traditional elements and materials.
One of the main goals was to achieve net zero carbon emissions. All the material choices and construction processes were meticulously aligned with this objective.
MEDITE SMARTPLY kindly shared with us the video they prepared featuring our Passive House in Crossabeg – Project Net Zero Home.
Project Net Zero Home is an exemplar new-build house project which aims to achieve Net Zero Carbon utilising MEDITE SMARTPLY products.
The project demonstrates how we can reduce both operational carbon and embodied carbon by using the right products and materials.
Passive House Concept
This house was guided by the Passive House standard, the world‘s leading standard in energy efficient construction. It embodies quality, comfort, and remarkable energy efficiency.
The Passive House – definition
Passive Houses maintain a consistent, comfortable temperature throughout the year with minimal energy usage. These structures achieve this by utilizing passive heating methods, optimizing sunlight exposure, leveraging internal heat sources, and employing heat recovery systems, often eliminating the need for traditional heating systems even in harsh winters.
Fabric First Approach
The technical design was focused on fabric efficiency and airtightness.
This project involved meticulous attention to detail in perfecting the building fabric and selecting materials. Each component, from insulation materials to walls, roofs, and floors, was carefully chosen to align with our sustainability goals. The focus was on optimizing energy efficiency as a means to reduce carbon emissions.
Materials
The Project Net Zero Home prioritized the use of wood as a construction material of the future, recognizing its ability to effectively sequester carbon. This included the use of timber products manufactured in Ireland from FSC® certified forests managed by Coillte (MEDITE SMARTPLY PROPASSIV system).
The project aimed to use materials with lower carbon intensities and lower transport-related carbon emissions. Other materials were used for their recyclability at the end of their lifecycle, their performance during use, and their long-term durability.
Airtight and Thermal Bridge Free Design
Airtightness is an important requirement for any energy-efficient building.
The SMARTPLY Propassiv board was instrumental in achieving outstanding airtightness results. Engineered with airtightness in mind, this board offers an integrated vapour barrier which eliminates the need for for additional AVCL (Air and Vapour Control Layer) membranes. It significantly simplifies and streamlines the construction process, enhancing the overall efficiency on site.
Attention to detail and having a construction team working together were also vital to achieve good air tightness results.
One of the main principles of a Passive House design is to achieve a thermal bridge free construction. Therefore, thermal bridges were carefully assessed when designing the thermal envelope, and some had to be assessed using 2D and 3D software.
Building Systems and Passive Systems
This project employed a range of advanced building systems, including the integration of renewable technologies, to ensure optimal performance and sustainability.
A combination of passive strategies, including strategically designed canopies and blinds, played a crucial role in enhancing energy efficiency and comfort. These elements were integrated to maximize shade during summer months, preventing overheating, while allowing ample sunlight in the winter, thereby reducing the need for active heating and cooling systems.
Energy Efficiency Evaluation
The air tightness test returned the impressive result of 0.19 air changes per hour. This is lower than any passive house currently in the Passive House database for Ireland.
The energy balance of the house design was tested using the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). The Passive House energy threshold for heating is 15 kWh/(m²yr). The heating demand as calculated by the PHPP is 12.7 kWh/(m²yr) for this house.
The house achieved a Building Energy Rating (BER) of A1.
You can learn more details about this project here.
David Chipperfield, an accomplished British architect, has been named the winner of the 2023 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious award in architecture. Chipperfield, who is known for his minimalist style and his focus on cultural and civic projects, is the fourth architect from the United Kingdom to win the prize.
Born in London in 1953, Chipperfield began his architectural studies at Kingston School of Art before moving on to the Architectural Association in London. He then worked at a number of notable firms, including Norman Foster and Richard Rogers, before starting his own practice in 1984.
David Chipperfield, the 2023 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate
Over the course of his career, Chipperfield has completed a number of significant projects around the world, including the River and Rowing Museum in Henley-on-Thames, England, the Museum of Modern Literature in Marbach, Germany, and the Des Moines Public Library in Des Moines, Iowa. He has also been involved in a number of restoration projects, including the renovation of the Neues Museum in Berlin and the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Des Moines Public Library, Iowa, USA, 2002-2006
Chipperfield’s work is characterized by its simplicity and elegance, as well as its sensitivity to the cultural and historical context of the places where he works. He has a particular interest in public buildings, and has said that he sees his role as an architect as being to “create places that enrich people’s lives”.
Royal Academy Renovation, London, UK, 2008-2018
One of Chipperfield’s most notable projects is the Hepworth Wakefield art gallery in Yorkshire, England. The gallery, which was completed in 2011, is named after the British sculptor Barbara Hepworth, and is designed to showcase her work as well as the work of other modern and contemporary artists. The building is constructed of concrete and brick, and features a series of interlocking volumes that are designed to harmonize with the surrounding landscape.
Hepworth Wakefield Art Gallery, West Yorkshire, UK, 2003-2011
Another notable project is the James Simon Galerie, a new entrance building for the Museum Island complex in Berlin, which was completed in 2019. The building, which is located between the Neues Museum and the Pergamon Museum, is designed to provide a welcoming and accessible entrance to the complex, while also serving as a new home for the museum’s ticketing and visitor services.
New Entrance Building for the Museum Island complex, Berlin, Germany, 2018
Chipperfield’s work has been recognized with a number of awards over the years, including the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2011. He has also been involved in a number of academic and cultural initiatives, and has served as a visiting professor at a number of universities around the world.
In addition to his architectural work, Chipperfield is also a prolific writer and commentator on architecture and urbanism. He has published several books on the subject and has spoken at a number of conferences and events around the world.
Chipperfield is a worthy winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, and his contributions to the field of architecture will undoubtedly continue to shape the built environment for years to come. Congratulations to David Chipperfield on this well-deserved honor.
Isabel Barros Architects - Wexford is driven by a passion for creating high quality contemporary Architecture. Our goal is to make good design available to the general public while maintaining a strong focus on the energy efficiency and sustainability of our designs.
A graduate of Lusíada University in Lisbon, Portugal, Isabel is a Senior Architect with over 25 years experience. She is a registered member of both the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) and the Portuguese Association of Architects. Isabel is also Accredited in Conservation at Grade 3.
