town, the homeowners leapt at the chance to create their very
own dream cottage from scratch.
The site was relatively tight and with a narrow drive as the
only means of access, building on the site was potentially
challenging. To avoid the noise and disruption of a constant
stream of lorries delivering heavy building materials, the
couple opted for a timber framed construction, to be built and
customised offsite by Hereford-based manufacturer, Taylor
Lane.
Small holes were then drilled into the OSB boards through
which loose cellulose insulation was blown under pressure to
completely fill the void and every potential air gap in the wall.
The cottage now had, in effect, solid walls of insulation that
were both strong and provided excellent U-values.
Having specified a highly energy efficient home, when tested
for airtightness, the cottage leaked just 3m³ per hour, much
less than the 10m³ per hour that Building Regulations demand.
The heat U-value achieved was 0.18 W/ (m2K). Not surprisingly,
the underfloor heating is only needed a few times in winter,
which means that the couple not only have the dream cottage
they were looking for, but also a very energy efficient and
inexpensive home for their retirement.
For more information visit: www.lime-green.co.uk
On the exterior walls, Lime Green’s Prepbond base render was
applied to the Warmshell boards, with a glass fibre reinforcing
mesh worked into it. The walls were then completed with a
top coat of Lime Green Natural Finish render and their mineral
silicate paint. As well as enhancing the very attractive design of
the property, the inclusion of oak windows throughout, a green
oak porch and the use of local stone create a strong link with
period properties nearby.
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builD. for the sAme heAt u-vAlue the
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