HOW GREEN IS YOUR HOME?
There are many ways to build a green extension that will not only add beautiful and valuable space to your existing home, but will also enhance its eco credentials — read our expert tips to find out how
There are so many benefits to building a green extension. Focusing on incorporating features and methods of building that have a minimal impact on the environment will not only help the planet, but they can also help make yours a home that enjoys high performance levels. It can also work for all kinds of house styles — not just those featuring more contemporary architectural details. And this is not a route that has to cost a fortune, either, as there are plenty of smaller, simple ways to build green.
1 TAKE A FABRIC-FIRST APPROACH
Taking a fabric-first approach to your extension means ensuring that the design and materials used are maximised — and that’s before looking at mechanical or electrical systems to improve its green credentials. This means taking into consideration factors such as:
● Incorporating high levels of insulation
● Optimising solar gain and minimising the risk of overheating
● Using natural ventilation
● Considering the thermal mass of the house
● Ensuring airtightness.
Glazing and insulation are both great places to start when seeking to adopt a fabric-first approach. “The size and orientation of your glazing makes a huge difference to the amount of heat lost or gained through your windows,” explains Ella Thorns of Studio Bark. “There is a balance between not overheating in the summer and passive heating from the sun in the winter.”
“Avoid glazing directly facing south, unless you also take measures to prevent summer overheating, such as a substantial roof overhang,” suggests David Nossiter of David Nossiter Architects. “Extensions, by their nature, have more site constraints than new builds, and orientation is not usually the most pressing issue to contend with. Nevertheless, the location of spaces, the extent of glazing and the views that can be captured should be carefully considered. Triple glazing is now used extensively in new builds and is readily available. However, I would place it lower down on my to-do list, putting it after well-insulated walls and roofs.”
“Incorporating plenty of insulation is probably the most well-known tip, but necessarily so as it is makes a huge difference,” says Ella Thorns. “Not only do we need high levels of insulation, but thermal bridging should be reduced and, if possible, eliminated so there are no gaps. This is easier
