Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
To minimise energy consumption, the house has been designed using a form- and fabric-first approach. The basic shape of the house is a simple and efficient cuboid with a shallow pitched roof, resulting in a very low form factor.
Copper Bottom’s timber superstructure is constructed from prefabricated Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs). These SIPs are highly insulated and airtight, meeting Passivhaus standards. In addition, the home is triple-glazed throughout. Copper Bottom is a zero-carbon home with minimal embodied energy.
Total embodied carbon is 50,995 kgCO2e.
Sustainable materials:
- Larsen System by Timber Innovations. (A system developed by Danish architect and engineer H. E. Larsen, the Larsen System’s innovative approach to timber construction emphasises energy efficiency and sustainability in building design.)
- SIPs panels are from the Kingspan TEK® Building System.
- The copper is TECU® Patina_Hamburg from KME.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Copper Bottom is a habitable power station. A rooftop array of 37 photovoltaic panels generates up to 16 kilowatts of power, producing renewable energy in excess of the home’s energy requirements and feeding green energy to the grid. The PV panels feed a 20kWh battery, enabling the solar energy generated during the day to be stored for use when demand is higher at night. Furthermore, any additional energy needed during the winter can be drawn down to the battery at night when the grid is 100 percent renewable.
The PV carbon offset is 3,174 kgCO2e/a.
An air source heat pump reduces energy demand for water heating and space heating. Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery ensures 90 percent heat recovery from incoming air.
Other sustainability features include:
- Rapid 3-phase EV charging for electric cars and bicycles (delivers higher charging speeds compared to single-phase systems).
- A low-carbon construction footprint. The site allowed for shallow foundations with a minimal use of concrete.
- A large rainwater harvesting tank.
- A focus on biodiversity with the planting of native species and a beehive.
Service and maintenance emissions
All exterior materials exposed to the elements require no maintenance: recycled copper, brick, glass, powder-coated aluminium, and a single-ply roofing membrane.
Afterlife
Copper Bottom is designed with longevity and adaptability in mind. For instance, the ground floor, with its step-free access, wide corridors and doorways, can be easily reconfigured to accommodate wheelchair use.
Key products in low carbon design
