New Build - Calling the experts

B

Birroc

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Calling the experts (sydthebeat, carpenter etc etc)

I'd be curious to know from the experts how they would build a new house in Ireland in terms of issues like

wall types : block cavity (partial fill or full), timber frame, other...
insulations
heating systems
ventilation systems
 
firstly Birroc... i definitely dont consider myself an expert...... i most definitely do not know everything, i only give opinions and try to base them on experience or trusted second hand info..

My profession demands me to know a significant amount about a lots of particulars in construction...... i dont specialise in any particular aspect, my job is more of a gathering of info and augmenting this to suit the build.

personally i would go for SIP panel walls and roofs with battens cement board and finish.
I would install the new nordan windows that have double glazed at u value 1.2 and triple glazed at u value 0.7 !!!!!!1111 budget permitting of course.

If i could get the construction as close as possible to passive levels i would design a solar collector space and water heating system, with possible on demand combi boiler for those coldest winter days... and that would be for hot water only. i wouldnt allow hot water to heat over 50deg.

Its important to understand that if you can trap heat as well as you can within the building envelop, then it really doesnt matter how you heat it.

A HRV system is a necessity....

Of course all this would need a fairly extensive budget
 

Why not allow water over 50C ?

I am a bit budget constrained but I plan to install a MHRV and good U-value windows.
 
my simplistic understanding of plumbing is this...

boilers heat water up to 70 deg in a traditional rad system in order to get maximum heat out of them to bring rooms up to a comfortable 21 degs.... this boiler water also heats hot water for taps.... 70degs is too high for domestic hot water... how often do you fill the sink with hot water for dishes and have to run the cold tap into it to cool it down...???

have you every tried to have a bath in 70deg water???
 
A heating system may have system water at temperature of 70 deg c for heating, but this should have no impact on the temperature of the water at the tap as modern heating systems have cylinder stats which will help maintain a reasonable temperature normally between 55-60 deg c.
If i had to plan a system i would stay a way from a combi, as to fit a combi you need to have reason IE to save space this is because modern combis are good but they are pure electronics and the flow rates can be a pain if you are having a shower and somebody opens a tap, i would go for stored hot water in the form of a unvented cylinder mains pressure hot water (same as cold) very quick reheat times, they can come with twin coils for soler heating and they can have an immersion fitted as well, if you went for this make sure it is fitted to UK regs as the lack of Irish regs leave many installation dangerous to the user.I would also have any modern band A condensing system boiler oil or gas but with a outdoor sensor to help with economy and i would fit trv's to every rad except any near room stat.
I would definitely fit a ventilation systems for the freshness and economy as they will pay for them selfs after a few years, Gary.
 
I think the future is the passive house; there is a lot of fantastic information available from SEI and self build sites on the interweb. If I were building a new home now I would invest in the passive technology; mechanical heat recovery, solar panels, timber frame with high levels of insulation and geothermal heating are all readily available, proven technologies that will deliver. People spend €25- 35k on a new car with a 12 year lifespan and skimp on the fundamentals in their new house- reduce the embodied energy, future proof and increase comfort levels at the design stage.
 
Hi there,

Just to throw in my tuppence worth, hoping to build also. The choice my husband and I have decided are poroton with good u value, good double glazed argon gaze thermal low e windows, HRV, solar panels tubular connected into space heating and we are 80% decided on either KWB or windhanger WPB. With the poroton we are trying to get as near to passive, though I don't want a passive house as I do like an open fire or wood burning stove. I do agree that if you spend money getting the envelope of the house right you will have a very comfortable house but I also think location of house on site i.e. the more sheltered the better also.

angela59
 
Hi all
Started to build last week (digging of foundation)The house I am building is standard concrete block 100mm with40 mm air cavity ,65mm kingspan k8 cavity board ,100mm block ,air tight barrier, 65mm kingspan k18 dry lining (.16u value).Double glazed argon fill low e coating windows(1.5 u value,B energy rated) standing on 150mm concrete slab on 200mm platinum areorboard (.15 u value ).Will be building a warm roof (.15uvalue).The space heating (air heating)and water heating will be an integrated hrv,solar panels and solid wood stove system (Nutech) supplement by passive solar orientation and design.
 
Scalerb, what's the air tight barrier you are using? Also any other particular info on the foundations? Cheers, BarneyMc
 
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