Vernacular Green House: the Plus House

The Plus House Larvik was announced to be the winner of WAN Sustainable Building 2015 Award. This building is appreciated much by its optimizing architectural qualities and technological solution, but the most attractive point, to me, is idea that using products and technology available in the market today to show the future standard of building.

In the design, architects aim to demonstrate technical solutions, which could both maintain environment and enhance comfort for potential residents. The house has a ramp roof on the southern side, equipped with solar panels and collectors. Together with geothermal energy from energy wells on the ground, these elements could supply the house with sufficient energy in daily life annually, in addition to generate enough energy surpluses to power an e-car all year round.

Views, daylight, as well as connections with outdoor landscape in the house are reconciled with the need of sealed windows and walls. Glass surfaces, house forms and orientation are placed to solve heating and cooling passively. The selection of materials is accordance with their thermal characteristics, but vernacular materials with ability to contribute good indoor climate, spatial quality and aesthetics. For example, the vernacular materials in Norway, firewood and bricks, are applied to create a homely cozy house and outdoor atrium. They also provide residents with a feeling of living in the world’s most advanced family house.

Nevertheless, the “advanced family house” is not only achieved as a feeling, but a real experience as well. The swimming pool and shower in the garden utilize solar-generated thermal heat surplus. Moreover, the use of renewable energy production generated by solar panels and photovoltaic integrated n the envelope gives possibilities of offsetting the carbon emission caused by burning fossil fuels in power station. The building is requested to verify a minimum of 100% Carbon Dioxide offsetting annually to gain the ZEB-OM classification.

The success of this environmental project is achieved from the combination of new technologies, intelligent placement, vernacular materials and local energy sources in a way, which could not only facilitate optimal use of energy resources, but also reduce the carbon emission caused by transportation. In the contrast, those projects blindly utilizing advanced technologies, fancy materials and pursuing sustainability pro foma should really be questioned, such as the construction of vertical gardens, green roof and green walls. This topic will be discussed in later blogs, and the case of One Central Park building in Sydney will be analyzed.

Reference: http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/snohetta-wins-sustainable-building-wan-award-plus-house-larvik.html