Case Study

Garway Passivhaus Community Centre, Herefordshire

Garway Community Centre is an ecologically sustainable, very energy efficient Passivhaus multi-purpose flexible and accessible building designed by Simmonds Mills Architects. Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, the project aims to be a cost effective local community health/wellbeing and social hub for the local community with facilities for health and wellbeing for the residents of Garway and the surrounding area. 21°supplied its ULTRA triple glazed timber windows and doors and water saving WCs and urinals for the project. In addition, 21° supplied certain MVHR components and Pro Clima airtightness tapes for the project.

Design

Simmonds Mills worked closely on the design with a strong community group; and the design of the new community centre reflects characteristics of the former, much loved 80 year-old ‘crinkly tin’ village hall. The new hall echoes the steep pitch of the old, and inside the building, has a striking glulam arch frame. Exposed timber alludes to a traditional, natural feel, yet remains in keeping with a contemporary aesthetic. Moreover, through the use of timber gap boards, plus wood wool slab ceilings, the building emulates the acoustic ‘bounce’ and absorbency of the old village hall. Externally render and timber cladding are used; with a galvanised steel roof; the aesthetic pays reference to the rural context of the old hall, and agricultural buildings, with a contemporary edge suited to a 21st century Passivhaus building.

The project achieved a first air test of n50, 0.22 ach. The former hall, which was built in the 1920s, cost £3500 a year to run, whereas the new hall’s running costs are expected to be £380 a year.

Triple glazed timber windows & doors

21°s ULTRA range of triple glazed windows and doors were specified for the project.. The ULTRA windows and doors used on the project included: single doors, both fully glazed and boarded double doors; large fixed screens; tilt and turn windows and some tilt only windows. The colour scheme chosen for the project was dual colour with a clear finish inside and RAL colour 7046 outside.

The ULTRA range offered a good price at the U values we needed and they look really good. The solid frame version of the ULTRA range (with whole window U value of Uw 0.75 W/m2K) was all that was required to enable the project to meet its Passivhaus certification target. Originally it had been thought that some of the window frame would be wrapped by the insulation used in the walls to minimise thermal bridging, but in the end the PHPP modelling showed that this was not needed.

Andy Simmonds

Water saving

Green Building Store’s Airflush urinal system and ES4 siphon flush WC were also specified for the project.

The Airflush waterless urinals are great and robust and living up to their odourless reputation We were aware of issues of leaking valve flush toilets through the AECB Water standards and other sources and liked the leak-free robust reliability of the ES4 siphon flush toilet.

Andy Simmonds

Grand Opening

Green Building Store Director Chris Herring recently attended the grand opening of the Garway Community Centre.

It was great to visit the Garway project for myself and see what a comfortable and energy-saving space it is for the local community. We’re delighted to be associated with such an exemplar project.

Chris Herring