The StramitZED house is the result of collaboration between the ZEDfactory and Stramit Technology Group. It blends proven technologies and innovative design principles to create zero-carbon homes.
The Code six house combines solar PV, solar thermal and passive heat recovery technology with Welsh timber frame, Stramit strawboard-faced cassettes and Warmcel insulation. Terracotta floor tiles and ceiling bricks are used to ensure that the building’s thermal mass can even out fluctuations in temperature.
The walls of the house comprise three layers – an inner layer of recycled insulation material and two surrounding layers of crushed straw. Stramit’s crushed straw panels are prepared in a 90m-long machine which emits little carbon, using hot and cold compression processes to make the end product a heavy and dense material.
The effectiveness of compressed straw as an insulation material was proven by the rigorous testing. The house also generates a large amount of energy through a combination of strategically placed photo-voltaic panels, which convert the sun’s energy to electricity, and water-heating thermal panels.
Besides being super energy-efficient, the house has also been designed aesthetically. The top space of the house features a glass roof laced with solar panels. Light filters through these panels, creating a stunning effect in what is considered as a cross between a conservatory and a chill-out area.
The developers have estimated the construction costs for these homes to be in the range of £1,175 ($1, 835.8) per square mere for a three-bedroom property, compared with £1,375 ($2, 148.3) per square metre for a typical Code five house and £1,475 ($2, 304.5) to £1,675 ($2, 617.1) for a typical Code six house.
The Eco Innovation Forum event was held on 25 November 2010 at Central Hall Westminster in London. It provided information on how businesses can move to a low carbon economy and examined the investment opportunities in the UK’s environmental and energy sector.
The ZEDfactory is a longstanding practitioner of zero carbon architecture in the UK, having built the first Code Level 6 social housing terrace at Upton in Northampton, the UK’s largest eco-village at BedZED in south London, and the zero carbon legacy ZEDpavilion at the Shanghai Expo 2010.
Stramit Technology Group manufactures the construction panel, Stramit StrawBoard. Stramit is a solid, strong, high quality construction panel made entirely from straw and recycled paper.
