Architect receives funding from TSB to retrofit three homes

Monday, 16 November 2009

UK-GBC member, Anne Thorne Architects Partnership (ATAP) are being funded by the Technology Strategy Board to undertake three feasibility and design studies to retrofit existing housing stock prototypes to ‘Passivhaus Standard’.

The Retrofit for the Future competition is designed to address the challenge laid down by the UK Government’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the year 2050. ATAP are working on three prototype projects with two housing associations and a Local Authority in different geographical areas; an Edwardian London terraced house retrofit in Haringey, North London with Metropolitan Housing Trust (North) and a late C19th terraced house in the potteries area of Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent, with Sanctuary Midlands Group. The third project is a semidetached pair of post war houses in Powys Wales where ATAP are working with local construction company Ecostruct.

The houses are to be retrofitted to passive house standard, which will mean minimal heating will be required. This involves high levels of insulation, and careful detailing to deal effectively with cold bridging, and to achieve excellent air tightness.

The knowledge gained will be invaluable to inform MHT’s rolling programme of refurbishment of street properties, the refurbishment of the Hanley terraces, and the huge postwar stock of semidetached social housing. Renewed services included Whole House Heat Recovery Ventliation, and a new Solar Thermal/gas installation for hot water.

Careful monitoring of both the retrofit and standard refurbishment properties is planned, in co-operation with residents.