The Task
Brian White and Diane Rothwell are building a beautiful single story passive timber frame home in the heart of the countryside. From the beginning, energy efficiency was central to their plans. With minimal heating requirements in mind, they focused on achieving excellent U-values and maximising natural light to make the most of their stunning surroundings.
The Solution
To meet their energy goals, Brian and Diane chose Senergy Elite uPVC windows, featuring:
- 6-chamber, 70mm frames
- 40mm triple glazing
- Low iron/low emissivity glass
- With an added S1 Plus coating
This high-performing combination achieved an impressive U-value of 0.8 W/m²K, helping to create a comfortable, cost-effective home that helps comfort levels in summer and energy efficiency in winter. They also added:
- A Lift & Slide Door at the rear to open up the view
- A Roscrea Sentinel Composite Door at the front for style and security
The Rothwells opted for a sleek Black/Bog Oak finish on all windows and doors, blending beautifully with the natural surroundings. Inside, they chose white for the Roscrea Sentinel Composite Door to brighten the entrance hallway, while keeping the interior window frames in Black/Bog Oak for a seamless look. Satin handles were used throughout for a modern, elegant finish. To make the most of their location, they included:
- Floor-to-ceiling windows to frame the countryside
- Large uPVC picture windows for uninterrupted light
- High-security locking mechanisms for peace of mind
Brian and Diane appointed Shoalwater Timber Frame, experts in Passive House Design and construction detailing to design, manufacture and delivery their Passive Home. Donal Mullins, managing director of Shoalwater Timber Frame said “At Shoalwater we have extensive experience in achieving this most stringent building standard, designing our external envelope to suit each individual home, a process that has become second nature at this stage. Of course, it is important to remember that the external joinery is also a huge part of the building envelope itself and therefore must adhere to the same high standards.
We were once again delighted to collaborate with Senator Windows for this project. Senator delivered and installed high-performing windows and doors with great U-Values. The thermal performance of the joinery is very important but what is also critical is the integrity of the buildings airtightness. In Passive House that airtightness factor is 0.6 air changers per hour at 50 pascal. Any reading poorer than 0.6 will mean that the house will fail the Passive House Certification process. The most recent test carried out on the house following the completion of the airtightness and the installation of the windows is 0.34acph, an amazing result and a testament to what can be achieved through great teamwork, attention to detail, and quality products – creating a warm, energy efficient home built to last.”
Aisling Kehoe, Senator Windows sales representative added “It was a real pleasure to work with Shoalwater Timber frame and the clients Brian and Diane to create their beautiful new home. I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished project.”
