The Carrowbreck Meadow design combines local ‘barn’ vernacular with a contemporary twist and incorporates simple black and white materials palette. The homes were designed to sit comfortably in their woodland setting and were positioned to take advantage of solar energy throughout the seasons.
Fourteen new dwellings were developed over 12 months- 8 detached and 6 semidetached - which were designed using the Passivhaus principles to build houses with cost effective, long term energy performance. To help achieve this Porotherm, wienerberger’s innovative clay block walling system, was specified.
The project was commissioned by Norwich city council to promote the Passivhaus standard, which is the fastest growing energy performance standard in the UK. The Passivhaus standard aims to promote the building of houses that have both an excellent thermal performance and exceptional airtightness with mechanical ventilation.
It marks a point at which the local authority were beginning to invest directly in quality local housing, having chosen to invest in a quality, high standard of energy efficiency.
