New Building Regulations energy rules for home renovations and extensions, 2019.

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“A follows D” - A recent major renovation and extension by Spacious Architects that brought an existing D rated house up to a BER A standard.

House owners planning to undertake major renovations or extensions will be required to ensure that the whole dwelling will meet the higher energy rating (BER) of B2 upon completion under new building regulations.

The new rules will come into effect from November 2019, and will also require all new homes to become nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB). That will require them to have a BER of A2, - twice as energy efficient as the current minimum required rating for new builds of A3.

Where more that 25 per cent of the surface of the building is undergoing renovation or an extension there will be a requirement that the whole building should achieve an energy efficiency of B2 or cost optimal level.

On November 1, amendments to Part L and Part F of the building regulations (relating to energy efficiency and ventilations) for new residential dwellings and dwellings getting major renovations come into effect. The Government said the rules will be subject to transition arrangements to allow flexibility to developers.

Requirements for major renovation of domestic buildings

For existing buildings, it is proposed that major renovation is typically activated under the following circumstances, where the work affects greater than 25% surface area of the existing dwelling:

• External Wall Renovation, external or internal insulation

• External Wall & Window Renovation

• External Wall & Roof Renovation

• External Wall & Floor Renovation

• New Extension

The cost optimal level is a primary energy performance of less than 125 kWh/m2/yr (B2 BER) when calculated using DEAP or upgrade of roof insulation and heating system. The Cost Optimal Study was updated in 2018.

Painting, replastering, rendering, reslating, cavity wall insulation are not considered major renovation works.

Energy upgrade works to the house pictured above included:

• Air to water heat pump

• Underfloor heating

• Super levels of insulation to floors, walls and roof

• Triple glazed windows and rooflights

• Airtightness membranes and tapes throughout

• Demand controlled ventilation system

Client Comments:

“We could not recommend Paul from Spacious Architects highly enough. Paul designed and project managed the renovation of our house in Dun Laoghaire from start to finish. The house was completely transformed and extended from 140m2 with a poor C2 energy rating, to 210m2 with a deep energy retrofit, to bring it up to an A3 BER.

We chose Paul over other architects at the outset as he was easy to deal with and he took the time to really understand what we wanted to achieve with the works. Our main aims were to have a house that was energy efficient and had living spaces that were bright, contemporary, spacious, functional and properly connected to our outdoor spaces. Paul achieved all of this and more. Energy wise the house is amazingly warm and comfortable with an air-to-water heat pump and underfloor heating. The airtightness was brought up to current standards for new builds and a demand controlled ventilation system was installed.

The spaces are beautifully designed with unique features (e.g the porch retains original brickwork walls that have been painted and lit with concealed lighting and there is custom designed bespoke joinery throughout). Our main living space at the back of the house is south-facing and on the same level as the patio and garden making them all feel like one space on a sunny day when the large sliding doors are open. The overall design and functionality of the house was very well thought out.

In terms of delivering the project, Paul was highly involved throughout. He was regularly onsite to ensure builders were delivering to spec. His high attention to detail ensured no corners were cut. On several occasions Paul asked the builders to redo aspects of work that he was not 100% happy with.

In short, Paul delivered on everything that was asked of him. He takes ideas on board and puts thought into them to develop them further. He is well versed in interior design and complex energy requirements to ensure projects look well while also being functional and highly efficient. And he holds everyone involved to account right through to completion of the jobs. We are very happy with the finished product and would recommend Paul to anyone.” Colin & Cathy McBride.

Our Latest nZEB new build house has just been completed - See it here.
Link: Irish Times article

Irish Times feature - As Green as a Period House can be.

SPACIOUS - Registered architects and designers

T: 01-5585205 | M: 089-2447264

George's Street Studios, First Floor, 53/54 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

hello@spacious.ie | www.spacious.ie | Instagram

New Suburban Dublin House Extension Project

Suburban House Extension & Alterations, South Dublin.  

The brief for this project was to extend an existing semi-detached house to the side and rear to create an enlarged open-plan kitchen, dining and lounge area to be the heart of the house with an enhanced relationship wiht the rear garden.  

A study that could be transformed into an additional spare bedroom for visitors along with a new utility room and downstairs shower room was also included.  The design is flooded with light from sliding glazed doors and large frameless roof lights.  The side and rear extension roofs are carefully designed to fit between tall separating brick walls.  

The project included the design of the kitchen and a range of other custom joinery units such as a study wall-mounted desk, a hidden fold-down bed, a corner storage unit with a dog bed built-in below and floor to ceiling wardrobes.

Simon Open Door Day 2016 - Architect Consultations

Unfortunately I'm not around to open my door for the Simon Open Door Day on May 14th & 15th this year.  However, if anyone would like a consultation and can't make those dates either I am happy to facilitate on alternative dates and we can send off your cheque to Simon at the session. More details on this year's Simon Open Door Day below.

Simon Communities of Ireland work with people who experience homelessness and housing exclusion in Ireland. Simon has a vision of society where no one is homeless. All people who are homeless, or at risk of facing homelessness, are given every opportunity to realise their potential to live fulfilled lives in appropriate homes of their own.

The annual Simon Open Door event takes place over Saturday and Sunday, 14th and 15th May 2016. Members of the public can now book a consultation with a RIAI Registered Architect by signing up at www.simonopendoor.ie. The donation of €70.00 will go directly to the Simon Community of Ireland as all Architects are giving their time and expertise for free.

Monies raised through the Simon Open Door campaign will go directly to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our society, those without a place to call home.

You can sign up for an appointment by contacting Paul Mulhern directly HERE or with other registered Architects at www.simonopendoor.ie.  As mentioned above this might suit those who can't make the 14th/15th May dates and we can send off your cheque to Simon at the session.

Read Testimonials about the Simon Open Door.

Join Simon Open Door page in Facebook.

You can expect general advice on:

• Options and ideas for extending and renovating your home - or building a new house
• Architect’s fees and services
• Information on building costs including VAT
• Discussion on building materials likely to be used
• Planning requirements or Exempted Development from Planning
• The documents that will be used for planning; tenders; and building contracts

Here are some other useful links:

• What to bring on the Day
• Top ten questions to ask your Architect
• Top tips From RIAI Architects
• Working with your Architect
• What should you think about before you start your project?

Best regards,  Paul.

SPACIOUS Architects.  Co. Dublin

So How the Hell Does a Heat Pump Work?

It’s a complicated process!  A miracle of science!!  And of course you’ll need to know all about the laws of thermodynamics to really understand it…

…but here’s how a heat pump works, in a nut shell.

Layout for a ground source heat pump - tapping into the sun's heat stored in the soil.

It's starting to get colder out there, so we’re starting to flick the heat on indoors.  We’re currently working on a some new-build houses in Dublin and Meath and are assessing options for heating and the efficiency of these systems through the use of renewables.  Often when we talk to people about how heat pumps can keep your home warm in winter, they get a look of bewilderment on their faces and ask how can that be possible.

People don't usually tell us that they're confused about how a fridge or air conditioner works, even though it's the same exact process - moving heat from a cooler area to a warmer area.

Heat pumps transfer heat by circulating a refrigerant through a cycle of evaporation and condensation.   The refrigerant is the medium that transfers the heat.  A compressor pumps the refrigerant between two heat exchanger coils. In the first coil, the refrigerant is evaporated at low pressure and absorbs heat from its surroundings (outside). The refrigerant is then compressed as it passes to the other coil, where it condenses at high pressure. It then releases the heat it absorbed earlier in the cycle - usually into the water of your heating system.

But this is Ireland.  It’s winter.  How on earth does it get heat from the outside air?

As the ground and air outside always contain some heat, a heat pump can supply heat to a house even on cold winter days. In fact, air at –18°C contains about 85 percent of the heat it contained at 21°C.

Heat flows whenever you have a temperature differential.  Maybe it’s that we have blinkers here due to our experience with cold outdoor temperatures. When we go outside in winter, our bodies will have a much higher temperature, being at about 37°C, and we then experience cooling. We’re always cooled off by cold outdoor air, so it is hard to imagine that that same air could ever heat anything else up.

The basic physics here is that heat will flow from something warmer to something cooler.  The answer is that, through the physics of the refrigeration cycle, as long as you can lower the temperature of the outdoor air, you can extract useful heat.

The vapour compression cycle

A heat pump exploits the fact that a fluid’s boiling point is affected by pressure. Lowering the pressure lowers the temperature at which the fluid evaporates, changing from liquid to gas: raising the pressure raises the temperature at which it condenses, changing from gas to liquid.

1. Refrigerant in the evaporator is colder than the heat source. This causes the heat to move from the heat source to the refrigerant as it evaporates.
2. This vapour moves to the compressor where its temperature and pressure are increased.
3. The hot vapour now enters the condenser where it rejects heat as it condenses.

The refrigerant then moves to the expansion valve; drops in temperature and pressure; then returns to the evaporator.

The basics of the Vapour Compression Cycle.

Ground source heat pumps

Use a 'closed loop' system of water/anti-freeze to collect the soil heat. Air/water heat pumps collect heat from the outside air. Generally, air temperatures are moderate in Ireland but due to natural frosting of the air heat exchanger during heat collection, it is necessary that these pumps use a small amount of energy to defrost. This leads to a marginal decrease in performance which is offset by a low installation cost.

The initial capital costs of installing a geothermal heat pump system is usually higher than other conventional central heating systems. A large proportion of the outlay will be for the purchase and installation of the ground collector. The system is among the most energy efficient and cost effective heating and cooling systems available.

Typically, 3-4 units of heat are generated for every unit of electricity used by the heat pump to deliver it, and the payback is typically about 8-10 years. The life expectancy of the system is around 20 years. Once installed a heat pump requires very little maintenance and anyone installing a heat pump should speak with their installer regarding a maintenance agreement. Heat pumps operate optimally when a system design approach is taken. It is important that the heat collector and heat distribution systems are correctly sized/installed.  (Refer to top image).

Air to water heat pumps

The evaporator collects heat from the outside air, which is then drawn into the unit by the fan through the evaporator fins and expelled through the front grille. The evaporator has liquid refrigerant passing through it, which is at a considerably lower temperature than the outside air, therefore the air gives up its heat to the refrigerant, which then vaporises.

This preheated vapour now travels to the compressor where it is compressed and upgraded to a much higher temperature.  Cooler water and the now cooler refrigerant returns to its former liquid state but still under high pressure from the compressor.

This high pressure is then released by passing the liquid through the expansion device and from there it returns to the evaporator and the cycle starts again.

Compared with central Europe (where air source heat pumps are already very popular), Ireland has a relatively moderate winter climate. With average winter temperatures of around 5°C, seasonal Co-efficient of performance ( or Efficiency) comparable with ground source (or Geothermal) heat pumps are achievable, without the additional cost of expensive ground loop systems having to be installed in the garden.

What Hofler Architects can do…

We regularly specify heat pumps and other renewable systems for the new-build and domestic extension projects we undertake.  Early in the design stage of a project we are considering which type of renewable technology will work best with the particular needs, the budget and the short and long-term costs.  We will carry out a number of BER studies - (Building Energy Rating) to look at all combinations of systems to determine which solution works best for you.

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Read an eloquent client testimonial here and what the Irish Times have said about some of our sustainable domestic renovation and extension work here.  

If you are planning to extend, renovate or build a new dwelling - Talk to us about your project.  You can contact us at any time here.

Return to our homepage or view our blog articles index page.

SP ACIOUSArchitects, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. 01-5585205

Tel: 01-2809322