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01494 778787
Homeowner Jodi Anderson tells us about her sustainable oasis set in a quiet leafy corner of London, how she hopes the finished property will achieve EnerPHit rating – the Passivhaus standard for retrofits, and why she loves her Urban Front door.
Project details
Architect: Stephen Belcher, The Vawdrey House
Door: Porto e98 passive in European oak finished in ebony oil (external side). Height: 2475mm and width: 1315mm.
Building contractor: Rhino Construction
Interior designer: Jennifer Hamilton, The Vawdrey House
Landscaping: Adolfo Harrison Gardens
Kitchen: Woodworks (design by Jenny Hamilton)
What was the brief for your home?
We wanted to achieve an energy-efficient retrofit, that removed all gas and wood burning, and incorporated passive heating and cooling features into our home. We didn’t want people to see our house and think, “It must be energy efficient” but rather their first thought would be, “What a lovely design”. Then we would surprise them with the fact that it's super energy efficient. We wanted to show that having an eco-house doesn’t mean sacrificing design principles.
We undertook a kitchen extension, a loft conversion, and a new garage with a studio above. We decided to aim for a Passivhaus-level retrofit because we were particularly focused on air quality and wanted to utilise natural products and low VOC (volatile organic compounds) throughout the house. The Passivhaus approach was about crafting a lower-energy building and providing excellent indoor air quality. We were also committed to ensuring that our build did not reduce the green space on our land.
How did you and your architect meet the brief?
We worked with The Vawdrey House, an architectural firm that had never been asked to build to Passivhaus standard, nor to prioritise the use of sustainable and natural products. However, they were keen to stretch themselves and happily took on our brief. We also worked with an external whole-house design team for the mechanical layout and we received input from Justin Bere, a notable Passivhaus specialist and architect. In addition, the founder of Rhino Construction completed a Passivhaus course in Ireland to expand his knowledge.
We all learned a great deal, which culminated in our 99+ EPC rating. We ended up with a net gain of planted areas, trees and foliage due in part to our use of green roofs. Rhino Construction brought all of the elements together to ensure that we received an outstanding air tightness rating. We hope to soon be a certified EnerPHit home – the Passivhaus rating for retrofits.
Why did you decide to build to Passivhaus standard?
Clean air and energy efficiency were at the core of our brief. We feel strongly that we all need to start building our homes in a more energy-efficient way. The uplift in cost to achieve a significantly enhanced eco retrofit was well worth it for us. We now have external insulation, a newly insulated foundation, triple-glazed windows, an array of rooftop photovoltaic panels with a battery, an air source heat pump, and an MVHR (mechanical ventilation heat recovery system) that provides great air filtration.
Our home is so well insulated with our Zehnder MVHR system that we don't need to heat the first and second floors with other sources when temperatures are in single digits and our use of underfloor heating on the ground floor is minimal. Even on hot days, we don't overheat, which is something people worry about with passive houses, thanks to the overhangs and external blinds on our south-facing windows.
Why did you choose an Urban Front door?
We wanted a welcoming, elegant, and understated approach to our home. Our architect researched Passivhaus-approved doors and found that Urban Front creates beautifully crafted doors that met both the design aesthetic and the functional needs of our build. Our door is well-designed, its scale impressive and it fits perfectly with our aesthetic - we are very happy with our choice. We love the seamless way the garage, courtyard gate, and front door all work in concert with one another.
What wood is the external cladding?
It's Russwood Larch, which is treated to minimise the colour change as it ages because we don’t want multiple tones emerging. We hope that as our trees grow and the garden develops, the house will comfortably settle into a green, small country lane feel with a modern twist.
What was your approach to the outside of the property?
The landscaping was incredibly important to us. We focused on designing a bird, bee, and wildlife-friendly garden with fruit trees and veggie beds. Tucked away on a small lane in Wimbledon, the house is on a hill with far-reaching views. We wanted a garden that would create a green and leafy feel to the front of the house and frame our views from the back. We chose Adolfo Harrison, MSDG, an award-winning landscape architect, to accomplish this.
We now have a lovely garden with an outdoor kitchen and entertaining space, a herb garden, veggie beds, fruit trees, and the most amazing palette of plants. The front garden has five new trees that will be here for future generations – this is so important at a time when I see people cutting down mature trees to accommodate building projects. We also have a large green roof in the front and back of the house, which further softens the modern design of our home. We are already seeing tremendous growth in the garden, and the arrival of more bees, birds, and butterflies. We also have an in-ground trampoline to encourage a bit of fun and folly.
What was the design brief for the interior?
We love clean lines and Scandi minimalism but wanted to ensure that our home is also warm and welcoming. Set on a hill with a good sized garden, we wanted to bring the outside in via large windows. We prioritised sourcing sustainable products and brands. For example, we chose cork flooring and cork fabric for our banquette in the kitchen.
We worked with Jenny Hamilton, Director of The Vawdrey House, a studio of architects and interior designers, because she has a great eye for design, and we knew that she would make us more daring with our design choices. She took our ideas and then pushed us, and the result is lovely.
What’s your favourite part of your home?
I love walking in through the front door and seeing a glimpse of the Epsom Downs through the dining room windows. The sight and sound of the courtyard fountain, and sitting at our kitchen banquette with a cup of coffee looking at the garden.
Do you have any other plans for your home?
I volunteer for Sustainable Merton, an organisation that promotes green spaces, energy efficiency, and sustainability projects in Merton. As one of only a few London homes retrofitted to this standard, we're hoping to host some local events for Sustainable Merton supporters to increase people’s interest in, and knowledge of, sustainable building practices.
Will your home stand the test of time?
We believe the Passivhaus standard has future-proofed our house. We have achieved a design that responds to changes in the climate, such as hotter summers and more volatile winters. We felt a responsibility to build to this standard. Our (now larger) retrofitted house is less carbon intensive than the smaller 1980s build that preceded it, which is very satisfying. We would encourage anyone undertaking a large renovation to carefully consider how they can ramp up their energy efficiency. Buildings can’t just be about aesthetics: they need to respond to environmental realities. The personal enjoyment derived from living in an energy-efficient and clean-air home was a huge incentive for us. These higher building standards need to be client-driven, one shouldn’t just assume their architect will take this approach. I hope that this approach to building will become the norm and not the exception.
