Z E M C H 2 0 1 2 I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e
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Figure 7: Perception of the relative cost effectiveness of various design approaches to achieve low
carbon housing
Where the participants did differ was in answer to the question of whether they thought
that their approach differed significantly from that of a conventional house. There was a
consensus among most members of the design and construction team of the CfSH pilot
project houses that it did not differ significantly from a conventional house of its type, as
described below:
“I would say that it doesn't differ greatly… Which is in a sense a good thing
because you haven't got to push the boundaries and do silly things. You can do
the low carbon solution with just standard kind of approaches. Obviously the
M&E isn't standard any longer – but the building form can be very similar.”
The mention of building form in quote above is interesting because building form was
only mentioned in passing with reference to the pilot project. However, building form was
described as being central to the low carbon strategy of the eco-house both in terms of
reducing capital costs and but also for reducing operational energy, as explained below:
‘In terms of things like design and keeping house form compact and relativley
small you're minismising surface area relative to volume and reducing the build
co;, keeping it affordable.’
In addition to building form the designer/builder of the eco-house highlighted the way in
which he approached the design as a significant way in which it differed from a
conventional house; as described below:
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Improved Air-tightness
Thermal mass
Improved insulation
Solar Hot Water
Specification of Materials
Photovoltaic Panels
Natural Daylighting
Natural Ventilation
Mechanical Ventilation and heat recovery
Passive Solar Heating
Biomass Boilers
Rainwater Harvesting
How do you rate the following as cost effective approaches for acheiving low
carbon housing?
EcoHouse Respondent
Respondent 1
Respondent 2
Respondent 3
Respondent 4
Respondent 5
Respondent 6
Respondent 7
