Olympic Track View

At the rear, the existing glass and timber extension brought in plenty of light but was poorly insulated and uncomfortable throughout the year. It was replaced with a new extension, basement and lightwell, creating a much stronger connection between the house and garden. The kitchen and basement living spaces provide flexible areas for family life, relaxing and working from home, with practical storage and durable finishes throughout.

RDA developed a fabric first strategy to achieve performance beyond Building Regulations. The floors, walls and roof were upgraded with high levels of insulation, while conservation style windows improved thermal performance without changing the character of the house.

The ground floor U value improved from 2.2 to 0.153 W/m²K, the walls from 0.85 to 0.144 W/m²K and the roof from 2.25 to 0.147 W/m²K.

Careful detailing was needed around the existing walls, floors and roof to create a continuous airtight layer. Passivhaus modelling and condensation analysis helped determine the right combination of PIR and breathable wood fibre insulation for the original solid walls.

A Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system now provides filtered fresh air throughout the house. The ductwork was discreetly fitted between the floor joists and connected through a central riser.

An air source heat pump and photovoltaic panels reduce the home’s reliance on fossil fuels. Both were positioned carefully to limit their visual impact and respect the local Scheme of Management. Demolition was kept to a minimum, existing brickwork was repaired and bricks removed during construction were reused in the extension.

The completed house meets the Passive House Low Energy Building standard. It is now warmer, quieter and more comfortable, with better air quality, lower energy use and a layout that suits the family’s everyday life.

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