Balehaus – Bath University
An ecologically-friendly home built of prefabricated straw-bale and hemp panels in Bath.
Design: White Design
Status: Completed 2009
Brief: To re-erect the Modcell® house that Greenheart first built for Kevin McCloud at Grand Designs Live in London, 2008.
Summary: This house, first built by Kevin McCloud for Grand Designs, was recreated by Greenheart at Bath University. It is now part of a research project into how renewable building materials can be used for homes of the future. Built from Modcell®, prefabricated wall panels constructed from straw bales inside an engineered timber frame, the walls were craned into position and then either rendered in lime or clad in cedar. Tests at the University last year showed that the straw-bale and hemp panels have a fire resistance as good as that of conventional building materials.
Inbuilt efficiency: Modcell® is an innovative wall and roof system which is quick and efficient to install and has an exceptional thermal performance. With a modular building system, lots of individual elements need to be joined together so air tightness can be a challenge. It requires considerable attention to detail and quality. This structure achieved a very high degree of air tightness, scoring just 1.3 air changes per hour.
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An ecologically-friendly home built of prefabricated straw-bale and hemp panels in Bath.
Design: White Design
Status: Completed 2009
Brief: To re-erect the Modcell® house that Greenheart first built for Kevin McCloud at Grand Designs Live in London, 2008.
Summary: This house, first built by Kevin McCloud for Grand Designs, was recreated by Greenheart at Bath University. It is now part of a research project into how renewable building materials can be used for homes of the future. Built from Modcell®, prefabricated wall panels constructed from straw bales inside an engineered timber frame, the walls were craned into position and then either rendered in lime or clad in cedar. Tests at the University last year showed that the straw-bale and hemp panels have a fire resistance as good as that of conventional building materials.
Inbuilt efficiency: Modcell® is an innovative wall and roof system which is quick and efficient to install and has an exceptional thermal performance. With a modular building system, lots of individual elements need to be joined together so air tightness can be a challenge. It requires considerable attention to detail and quality. This structure achieved a very high degree of air tightness, scoring just 1.3 air changes per hour.
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