PROJECT PROFILE

Green Dream Home in England

Sedum House

Tom Ground, an architect based in Norfolk, England, has built his own green dream home set in a steep sand hill. The house is highly insulated as not only are its walls formed with Quad-Lock insulating concrete forms, but by being part of the hillside, this makes it an earth-sheltered home as well. It is roofed with sedum grass, features a glass frontage and traditional local flints to blend into the native habitat and landscape. Toilets that flush with rainwater, a geothermal heat pump, and a three pond sewerage system with reed beds make the house even more environmentally friendly. Mr. Ground, who did much of the building and decorating work himself, says, As an architect, I did not want to live in a house I hadnt designed myself. I wanted to make full use of the land by building it into the bank, and it gives the house great insulation.
To rainwater collection tank I.C. 2 To reed bed system

B
I.C. 1

Eco-House Features:

4212.25

Whole house ventilation system Under-floor heating Walk-able glass panels

413 413 3625 100 600 100 3330

15228.26

260

1530

260

4030

312

6134

260

100

3630

100

3230

311

1115.25

Escape Window Escape Window Escape Window Escape Window Escape Window
311
20 15

RWP

Wardrobe

Heat recovery system

6750

Bedroom

Wardrobe

Store
RWP

Bedroom

Bedroom

Bedroom

Study

G
311

3435.5

Wardrobe

5924

Rainwater harvesting No drainpipes Green roof of sedum Designed around sun

3375

3148.5

2430

100

1100

600

Garage
100

Void Wardrobe Wardrobe

1730

100

100

H
260 FD30S 100mm

H
5768.2 6134 6390 3298.75

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100

1030

A/C

Bathroom

2388.5

1230

1030

Ensuite

2415

260

Void
Rooflight Rooflight Rooflight 1030 210 1030 210

1515

Library
3342.25 312

413

3748.25

4938.9

Plant

Utility

311

2180.3

2491

464

464

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CHARTERED 80,St. George Norwich NR3 1DA Tel 01603 666 Fax 01603 62 email camarch www.architect

Client

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Green Dream Home in England ...contd

North Norfolk District Councillors were full of praise of this design when they granted planning permission. They thought it was innovative and different and hoped that it would encourage others to build ecohouses like it. A high density of steel was required to resist the extreme sheer loading of the sand earth sheltering. Quad-Locks inherent tie position flexibility allowed working around this extreme steel density a simple task. The home had many radius walls and angles which were handled efficiently with Quad-Lock, the easiest system for forming these types of architectural features. The home was built by Tom and his family, in their spare time. It was easy, and the kids helped, Tom says. The home was designed to utilize the natural elements of the sun. The curved wooden peak roof, designed like a baseball cap, shields the interior in the hottest months when the sun is highest. In the cooler months, when the sun is lower, it heats the glass and warms up the home. There are four bedrooms embedded into the dunes in an underground tunnel and the natural cover of the ground, in addition to the Quad-Lock insulating concrete forms, keeps this eco-house extremely well insulated and energy efficient. The Grounds have opened their home on numerous occasions, to showcase this unique and sustainable house of the future. When I started building this it was difficult to find sources for information on green buildings, so I dont mind giving up a weekend to show and talk to people who want to do it too. I am happy to share it.

Architectural Rendering

Completed Eco-House

For more information on this project, contact Peter Townend at p.townend@quadlock.co.uk.

Web: www.quadlock.com Email: info@quadlock.com Tel: 604.590.3111 or 888.711.5625 Fax: 604.590.8412
Version 1.0 Release Date 2010-03 Copyright Quad-Lock Building Systems, Ltd.