Concepts

Zero Heat House

Building a house that requires absolutely no space heating is the ultimate aim for many architects. In the past, one of the principal arguments against this has been the capital cost of building such a house.

Aberdeen architect, Gökay Devici has conclusively dispelled this myth with the development of a house without any space heating system. What’s more, the total cost of the zero heating house was just £60,000 (including kitchen and bathroom fittings), around £15,000 less than a conventionally built house would have cost.

EVT Technology
The five bedroomed house, built in Aberdeen and based on EVT Technology, features a structure of Masonite beams, with Warmcel 500 insulation used to insulate the 300mm thick walls and the 450mm deep roof, providing U values of 0.10 and 0.09 W/m²K respectively. Panelvent sheathing was used to provide the outer face of the EVT walls of the house, with plasterboard being used to provide the internal wall finish.

Externally, the house is clad in locally-grown Scottish larch, with clay tiles used for the roof. These materials were specified by the architect, because they offered the best option based on a minimum 60 year life cycle. Furthermore, they are sympathetic with the immediate surroundings of the house and meet the sustainability objectives of the project.

Argon-filled, low E, triple-glazed windows are used to complement the phenomenally high insulation levels of the walls and roof. The only concession to space heating provision is a small wood burning stove for use in emergencies, offering a peace of mind standby for the occupants in case of severely cold winter weather conditions.

Intelligent Design
The cost savings on the structure have been realised through intelligent design, which utilises a very simple, geometric plan to maximise the space/envelope ratio. Further savings have been delivered through the modularisation of the simple, lightweight structure and the centralisation of living space.

The use of Masonite beams for the building’s structure is fundamental in maximising the usable living space, especially in the roof construction. This is because the strength of the beams, allied to their light weight, negates the need for cross ties and struts used in traditional fink truss roofs. As a result, a ‘room-in-the-roof’ feature is automatically created. In this house, the roof space has been utilised to create two ‘upstairs’ bedrooms in the otherwise single storey building, while the ‘double height’ living room features a raised gallery. This is utilised as a secondary living area.