Energy Consultancy for a Rural Housing Development

When Stolon Studio architects were commissioned to design a pioneering rural housing development on a former dairy farm in Herefordshire, they turned to EAL Consult to provide energy consultancy, and to ensure that the project complied with Building Regulations requirements.

The Project

Stolon Studio specialises in providing ‘sociable housing’, where community-building and interaction between residents is encouraged and enabled by the design of the buildings and surrounding spaces. The Parks project required the complete transformation of the site, from a series of neglected farm buildings into eight sustainable homes, with a layout and common areas to encourage social interaction, combatting rural isolation.
The client chose best carbon footprint practices by renovating and extending the existing farmhouse, barn, and outbuildings to provide sustainable homes on the site. Assessing the sustainability of the proposed development where the existing structures were in various states of disrepair and collapse, the client’s vision included salvaging as many of the original materials and historical features as possible for use in the new homes.

Rennovation vs New Build

To meet the challenges of renovation over rebuild, EAL Consult carried out SAP calculations using the initial building designs, providing advice on the thermal elements of the proposed renovations. They used energy modelling to recommend site-specific solutions for high-performance insulation, heating and glazing.
The project also incorporated the use of renewable technology for heating, enhancing the energy efficiency of the buildings. EAL Consult reviewed various options for the site and made recommendations based on the specific requirements of the renovated structures and their rural location.

Meeting the original vision

Featuring original historic constuction alongside high-performance glazing and insulation, as well as efficient underfloor heating and air-source heat pumps, The Parks development has lived up to the client’s initial plans. Thanks to EAL Consult’s calculations and recommendations, the new homes averaged an EPC rating of B, exceeding the current Building Regulations requirements in spite of the complexity of the project.