Groundhouse design

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Having lived in the Brittany groundhouse over a full year cycle, we have been able to fine tune the building and evaluate its performance.  This has included daily temperature monitoring which has shown stability well within the comfortable living zone and with only minimal winter wood burning.

This time and space has also given us the chance to revisit the design, to try to bring down further the build costs for future projects.  We pushed the boat out in several areas and went well over budget since we were on our own home.  We are looking at achieving economy in the new design in two important areas.  Firstly, the roundroom, although a great space, is an expensive feature and can be replaced with a large but much easier long room.  Secondly, we are collaborating with amazonails in the UK to look at reducing the labour input needed for the massive external walls.  With the underfloor insulation and mass, coupled to heat transfer from the roof, that we pioneered in Brittany, the design can afford to lose some of the thermal mass in the walls.  This may involve replacing the top half of the rammed earth walls with rendered strawbale.  The new design is appropriate for individual residential sites in the UK, and anyone interested in applying for permission to build, or with suitable land,  should contact us directly.