Ladyfields Passivhaus Flats and Houses
Loughton, Epping Forest
Ladyfields is a new build development providing 16 passivhaus homes on a tight urban site in Loughton.
Location: Loughton, Epping Forest
Client: Epping Forest District Council
Project Value: £confidential
Status: RIBA Stage 3
Specialisation: Passivhaus homes
The Ladyfields site is bounded by a TFL railway line and a short terrace of 2-storey homes, has a significant incline and contains 8 mature trees and two telephone poles. Our designs for the new homes, however, use the tiered ground levels to shield the new development from the train tracks and take advantage of the South-West facing rear facade.
To achieve the Passivhaus Standard, the backs of the homes are rotated to maximise solar gain and windows to the North are kept to minimum. High levels of insulation and triple-glazed windows further assist the achievement of the Passivhaus Standard whilst providing the residents with reduced external noise. Heat, ventilation and hot water within each home is provided by a single modular compact unit.
By using this system, we were able to simplify the services within each home whilst maximising living space. The top flats and houses including end terraces and semi-detached houses have been provided with photovoltaics (PV). The homes are heated through air and occasional electric radiators, removing them from the gas grid and promoting sources of energy that can be decarbonised.