Low-energy buildings / We work in two phases :
The first phase with an ecological approach and bioclimatic principles :
– layout, orientation, passive solar gain, natural light
The second phase with active technologies
– Dual- flow ventilation, solar panels …
Consequently the heating used is very low.
OUR 7 POINTS’ METHODE
1) Sun oriented buildings. Compact form
. 50% of the windows facing south. Building total glazing = 20% of the habitable surface.
. We make computer sunshine simulations. In winter the sun enters generously into the room.
2) Very efficient insulation in walls, roof and floor
. There must be a very good insulation : Wall R = 5 m2.K/w, Roof R = 7 m2.K/w,
Floor = 5 m2.K/w.
. With wooden frame we used inside the walls : Rock wool, Glass wool, wood fibre insulation, or cellulose wadding
. We make an outside insulating envelope made of polystyrene or wood fibre under the roughcast or wooden cladding.
.On the roof over the wood panels we place very dense wood fibre. That is very interesting for good thermal phase shift.
3) Thermal leaks
. With that type of buildings it is very easy to reduce thermal leaks.
4) Efficient windows
. The windows are either made of wood, PVC, aluminium or wood/aluminium.
Windows are insulated in double triple glazing :
Uglas < 1,1 W/m2 - U window < 1,37 W/m2.
. If possible the roller shutter boxes are set outside.
. The shutter box is hidden by the roughcast or the wooden cladding.
. On the south side we put either outside blinds or shutters to be protected from the sun.
5) Airtightness
. The building envelope should be airtight. It must be efficient
to prevent air leakage.
. Blower door tests are carried out during the construction phase. Improvements can be brought later.
6) Mechanical ventilation
. We use dual-flow mechanical ventilations as well as simple flow adjustable ones.
. It depends on the customer’s budget and all projects don’t need the low energy label.
7) Heating, sustainable energy
. For individual houses we use wood-burning stoves or granulated wood-stoves on the ground floor.
. In the bedrooms or the bathroom we place an electric radiator in case of very low temperatures.
. For blocks of flats or other constructions we use
low condensation gas-fired boilers.
