Earthwise Construction was appointed as main contractor to carry out this retrofit and extension of an ex-industrial unit (in the Montpellier area of Bristol) into a four-bedroomed house, to meet the AECB’s low energy Silver standard.

Prior to the renovation works, the building comprised of a single storey live/work unit split into a one bedroom flat and an open plan office. With no outdoor space and limited room to extend the house sideways, the new development added a second storey and roof terrace over the majority of the existing building. The downstairs is characterized by a generous entrance hallway, and by the unexpected geometries of the bedrooms and bathroom. Upstairs, the wide curved roof and large open plan kitchen/living room are striking features. The front terrace extends the living area and is finished with flagstone tiles and vertical larch cladding.

The building is situated in a conservation area in central Bristol, on a narrow cul-de-sac which is the only access to the site. The building occupies the whole site apart from a small strip of hard-standing to the front, making the logistics of the build a real challenge.

Hitting the airtightness target was one of the biggest challenges given the condition of the existing building. The preliminary air pressure test achieved better than hoped for with a result of 0.83 m3/hr/m2 .

High performance phenolic foam insulation was used throughout with timber triple glazed windows. Other materials included: engineered FSC wooden floors, natural stone tiles, F.S.C larch cladding, exposed brick work, industrial insulated roofing sheets. A Paul Focus 200 Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) system was fitted to provide ventilation requirements.