High Trees Low Energy newbuild project, Yorkshire

High Trees is a self-build project by the architect Andrew Burningham and is a detached 4-bedroom family house set within the Ripon Conservation Area. Green Building Store supplied, designed and commissioned the MVHR system for the project.

Design philosophy

Following a fabric first design philosophy, the project carefully considered building orientation to ensure that the house benefits from natural solar gains, natural light. Internal masonry has been designed into the core in order to provide thermal mass and help regulate the temperature. Supplementary heating and DHW is provided by an air source heat pump with a MVHR reducing heat losses further. 

Materials were selected that took inspiration from the context and that would weather into the setting. The house is constructed in timber SIP panels with additional internal insulation to increase the thermal performance. Externally, brickwork cladding was used, taking inspiration from local    architecture . Above this, the house is clad in swan larch boarding in a Yorkshire board on board arrangement. The cladding is left untreated so that it will naturally weather to a silver grey, settling further into the colour and textures of the surrounding woodland. 

MVHR mechanical ventilation with heat recovery

Green Building Store designed and supplied the MVHR system for the project, which incorporated the PAUL NOVUS 300 unit with rigid steel spiral wound ducting.