Francis Clauson’s Ultra Low Energy House

Tight planning constraints meant the typical form, and shape of a low energy house was not possible and a more traditional style house that matched the vernacular style of the area was required. The challenge was to achieve an ultra low energy house while maintaining the traditional bungalow style dwelling which typically has a high envelope surface area to treated floor area ratio. Another important challenge to overcome was how to incorporate traditional stone/granite cills in a cavity wall without magnifying a thermal bridge through this element and compromising on energy performance.

This project demonstrates that you can build a Passive and A1 rated House, while still building to the traditional construction methods and vernacular Irish style. The client in this project has led the way in developing the energy strategy, and integrating a number of renewable energy solutions to optimise energy performance. Photovoltaic array panels have been combined with a heat pump to supply low temperature underfloor heating.