Blaen Y Wern | New Build House
Trefriw, North Wales, 2024
Whenever we start a project, we always ask ourselves whether the most sustainable solution is to build new or reuse. On this occasion renovating the existing structure would require replacing most of it, so we decided that a new building designed with passive house principles would in the long run be both more sustainable and more comfortable to live in.
However, the local planning authority stipulated that we must retain stone walls on the front and rear elevation, to maintain the existing character of the building. Although this makes construction more complicated, we feel the blend of the old and new works well. To reduce the building carbon footprint we will use Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) constructed with local timber and insulated with cellulose. A photovoltaic array will generate energy, as well as offset the energy consumption of the air source heat pump.
