Can you refurbish a property to newbuild standards of energy efficiency?
How can housebuilders who want to preserve the style and legacy of a building raise it to the highest comfort levels with minimal energy waste?
How do triple-glazed windows improve the performance of an existing home?
Norrsken examines the refurbishment of a unique sixties house in the Midlands where the focus was energy conservation and comfort.
NORRSKEN – WHO ARE WE?
Specialising in high performance composite alu-clad timber windows, Norrsken’s eco-friendly, energy efficient products are designed for the UK. Their double and triple-glazed range provides the dual benefits of wood’s warmth and beauty with the minimal exterior maintenance of aluminium.
Much of the Norrsken product range is suitable for Passive House use, and the founding directors are big believers in energy-efficient building. Norrsken is known for its real passion for excellence which, combined with dedicated customer service and an ethos of integrity and responsibility, sets them apart from competitors.
THE PROJECT BRIEF
Completed in 1967 to a remarkably high standard for the time (it was one of the first properties to make use of double glazing in the UK), but by 2018 this striking home had fallen well behind modern performance requirements; lacking adequate insulation and a central heating system it remained cold and uncomfortable for much of the year – it needed a major overhaul.
The client brief? “Build it the same, but warmer” – and the Architects, CE+CA studio, have gone a big step further.
Embarking on an intensive three-year refurbishment rather than rebuilding from scratch, the house now complies with EnerPHit (the retrofit-based younger sister of the better-known Passive House Standard) standards of energy efficiency with an almost entirely off-grid energy system.
THE METHOD
How was it done? While preserving the style and legacy of the iconic original home – reclaiming materials from the site for reuse wherever possible – the team specified the highest quality products in the build.
The entire house was heavily insulated, the airtightness improved, and mechanical heat ventilation recovery (MHVR) was incorporated into the innovative new design to circulate fresh air and regulate the internal temperature. It now functions so well that no gas is required; neither is mains water (a borehole was drilled, which also links to part of the heating system) and photovoltaics were installed on the roof.
Norrsken P31A triple-glazed windows, lift-and-slide-doors and entrance doors were used extensively throughout the property, replacing and dramatically upgrading the existing double glazing.
COMPOSITE TRIPLE GLAZING – THE IMPACT
Large areas of glass maximise natural light and views of the stunning surrounding area – and specifying high performance triple-glazed products allowed the client to keep style, comfort and thermal efficiency all firmly on the table. Subtle, dark RAL-coloured frames blend with the neutral, earthy colour palette used throughout the property – especially complementing the eye-catching copper cladding.
Norrsken don’t believe you should have to compromise on comfort to achieve style – or vice versa.
This property highlights just how much can be achieved with retrofit projects and triple glazed composite windows and doors. It pushes the limits of design and performance to create a truly remarkable living experience.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nigel Jackson is a Director at Norrsken Company Ltd. He is a multiple self-builder and long-time enthusiast for energy-efficient building. He built his first house in 1985, incorporating high levels of insulation, underfloor heating with modulating controls, a high efficiency condensing boiler, and low-E glazing. He also installed Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MHVR) – a standard now widely used and part of the Passive House Standard’s building criteria – sourcing it from Norway as it was not available in the UK at the time