Tag: Wexford (Page 1 of 7)

Isabel Explains the Concept and Materials of Project Net Zero Home

November 17, 2023 / aoife / 0 Comments

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.

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.

New Tax for Land Suitable for Development

January 27, 2023 / aoife / 0 Comments

The Residential Zoned Land Tax (RZLT) is a new tax that was introduced in
Finance Act 2021. It applies to land that is both zoned as suitable for
residential development and is serviced, and it will be first due in 2024.

Ireland requires increased housing supply to meet our housing needs. The
RZLT aims to incentivise landowners to activate existing planning permissions
for housing on identified lands, or to engage with planning authorities and
seek planning permission on land which is suitably zoned and appropriately
serviced.

RZLT is a self-assessed tax. Land which appears on a residential zoned land
tax map published by the relevant local authority is within the scope of the tax,
and so land owners are required to review these maps to confirm whether
their land is subject to the tax.

While residential properties are included on these maps, owners of such
properties are not liable for the tax if they are already subject to Local
Property Tax (LPT).

How will land owners in Wexford know if their land is subject to RZLT?

Wexford County Council has published maps that identify the land that is within the scope of RZLT. The maps can be consulted here:

The maps cover the following areas: Bunclody, Courtown & Riverchapel, Gorey, Rosslare Harbour and Kilrane.

At the time of writing these maps were at Draft stage. Submissions were closed on 1 January 2023. A local authority may, in exceptional circumstances,
accept submissions relating to a draft map after 1 January 2023.

Local authorities will publish, no later than 1 December 2023, a final map for
the purposes of identifying land within the scope of RZLT.

Learn more about this new tax here: Residential Zoned Land Tax

A Passive House Design in Wexford’s Rural Landscape

November 28, 2019 / barros / 0 Comments

We are delighted to have achieved Planning Permission for this fantastic project in Wexford.

The site presents a south-facing slope offering open views in a rural landscape. There are large fields surrounding the site, the fields are delineated by native hedges and trees. A number of neighbouring farmyards are also part of the place.

Materials on the neighbouring farm buildings

There is a pattern of materials that is repeated within the area giving it a sense of harmony, these include corrugated metal, rubble stone and white renders.

The south facing aspect of the site offers good access to solar radiation and daylight which are essential for the application of the Passive House standard and passive solar design in general.

DESIGN CONCEPT

The design is strongly related to the landscape and the place.

The proposed site layout is inspired by the nearby traditional courtyard farmyards.

The proposal uses a contemporary language based on traditional elements and materials.

Three main volumes inspired by traditional forms create a balanced composition with different heights. The existing rhythm and repetitive pattern of the trees in the northern boundary is reflected in these volumes establishing a strong relationship between the proposed house and the landscape.

The two-storeys volume is conceived to mimic the agricultural buildings in the area. The visual impact is reduced by careful selection of materials that play with mass and weight whilst combining the present with the past.

A simple palette of materials is proposed – white rendered surfaces, notes of rubble stone and grey corrugated metal. The materials aim to connect cultural and local values with a contemporary built environment.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE and SUSTAINABILITY

Passive House Standard
The project’s aspirations include to build a low energy sustainable house guided by the Passive House Standard with a view to achieve full certification by the Passive House Institute.

Passive House is the world‘s leading standard in energy efficient construction. The Passive House Standard stands for quality, comfort and energy efficiency.

Passive Houses stay at a comfortable temperature year-round with minimal energy inputs. Such buildings are heated “passively”, making efficient use of the sun, internal heat sources and heat recovery so that conventional heating systems are rendered unnecessary throughout even the coldest of winters. As energy savings equals emissions reductions, the Passive House is a sustainable alternative to conventional construction.

The house is designed and orientated to maximise passive solar gain and natural lighting. The fenestration facing North is minimal to reduce heat loss. Overhangs to shade south-facing windows are also used to reduce overheating during the summer. The house is carefully positioned to avoid the shade caused by the trees in the northern boundary (2 to 8 metres tall).

Building Energy Rating (BER) and Nearly Zero-Energy Building (nZEB)

The preliminary specifications indicate a Building Energy Rating (BER) of A1 corresponding to an Energy Value of 3.77 KWh/m2/yr. The calculations show an energy performance coefficient (EPC) of 0.024, and a carbon performance coefficient (CPC) of 0.022, which exceeds by far the requirements for a Nearly Zero-Energy Building (nZEB).

Materials and Sustainability

The sustainability strategy also includes the use of timber products manufactured in Ireland from FSC® certified forests managed by Coillte (MEDITE SMARTPLY/ PROPASSIV system).

The choice of corrugated metal takes into consideration the overall environmental impact, performance in use, lifetime durability and maintenance requirements. Many corrugated metal products on the market are made of recycled metal and can be recycled again at the end of their use.

The appropriate fabric specification and an airtight and thermal bridge free design are fundamental to achieve the required Passive House certification.

The external envelope will be highly insulated to Passive House Standards to reduce heat losses. Careful detailing will be essential to achieve the required airtightness and avoid thermal bridges. Energy efficient window glazing units and frames are proposed.

The proposed house is a modern interpretation of the traditional courtyard farmyard. The house aims to use a contemporary architectural language inspired by traditional elements and materials of the rural vernacular architecture.

The design creates visual and physical connections with its surroundings. We believe the proposed development acknowledges, respects and enhances the existing character and landscape without creating an adverse visual impact.

Our design approach considers that Passive House buildings do not have to compromise on their design quality. The idea of creating a unique Passive House drawing strongly from the local vernacular forms and materiality has been paramount to this project.