HOLCOMBE PASSIVE HOUSE

A lecture by Roger and Jeannette Redman
Tuesday 7 September, 19.00, £6.00/£4.50 concessions

Visit: SOLD OUT

The Holcombe Passive House is due for completion this summer. It was designed by its owners Roger and Jeannette Redman on a brownfield site. Their philosophy was to demonstrate passive house design, construction and operation, in the absence of specialist architects or environmental consultants. They wanted to produce a practical and desirable passive house design including features enabling easy occupation by disabled or elderly owners. Building materials have been chosen to minimise toxins within the house and the 10 acre plot around the house will be transformed into a wildlife haven.

Roger and Jeannette will talk about the design and build of their passive house and there will be a chance of a tour of the building for the lucky few!

Passive Solar features:
Passive Solar heating - no conventional fossil fuel central heating.
Glazed sun-room acts as Thermal Buffer and inlet air solar pre-heater
Huge Thermal Mass and thick insulation (250mm walls, 250mm floor, 400mm roof)
Triple glazed windows
All External doors open via Thermal Buffer Zone
Large South facing windows, with small windows on the North side of house
Whole house ventilation system with heat exchange

Sustainability features:
Designed to use Solar Water heating to supply 50% of yearly water heating requirement
Will use harvested rain water to reduce water demand
Uses Dual-Flush W.C.s to save water
Photovoltaic Panels will provide all daytime power needs and export surplus power to the National Grid
Self-contained septic tank and reed bed processes all on site sewage
Wood burning stove in Sun-room acts as local heating & pre heating for whole house

Design Flexibility features:
Designed for easy use by disabled or elderly occupants
Stairs designed for easy addition of stair-lift in future
Semi-Open-Plan layout - allows open areas for entertaining or quiet rooms for family use
Sun-room and upper Sun-room balcony give access to southern views

Local Environmental features:
Reed bed and large pond to attract wildlife
Most of site to be maintained as wildlife refuge, with large wildflower meadow and woodland Organic Kitchen garden - supplies produce for occupants
Human friendly materials used inside house

Self-reliant features:
All design development and all drawings, for Planning Permission, for Building Regulations and for the Builders, created by non-architect owners, on CAD, after extensive research.
The owners are completing all internal construction and equipping of the house, following completion, by builders, of the basic shell.
This work includes installing the first floor boards, all stud walling on the first floor, installation of roof insulation, all electrical & plumbing work, ceramic tiling of the whole ground floor and installation of the kitchen and bathrooms.

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