We Love Research

PAUL Heat Recovery Scotland is part of an exciting project together with Heriot-Watt University:

A new sustainable, modular and multi-climate zone dwelling is developed, which will be exhibited at the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2020 (‘SDME2020’), a global competition for students to design and build a full-size, fully-functioning solar powered house that showcases innovative thinking, research, design and manufacturing, particularly from Scotland. SDME2020 is integrated with the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, which is expected to attract an estimated 25 million people.

In order to cope with external temperatures of up to 50 deg. C, without large-scale air conditioning was only possible through the Passive design with elimination of any solar gains. The house is equipped with an MVHR system (Zehnder ComfoAir Q600) for cold-recovery, which is commbined with a ComfoPost cooling battery, operated by a reversable heat pump.

We provided training for the students and helped with the specification and design of the MVHR system and provided all the ventilation materials for the project.

The School of Architecture of Dundee University has launched an exciting new project under the heading Macro Micro Studio, which is being built in Dundee Botanic Gardens.

The studio will design and build a full scale, fully-working demonstrator prototype live/work unit to showcase new concepts in architectural space and ultra low-energy technologies and construction practices suitable for use in low energy housing considering in particular the Scottish research context.

It will define the existing barriers to developing very low energy housing in a Scottish context and address these by creatively developing a new integrated solution that could form the basis for further research and development work.

The studio, which will be used as a design studio by up to 12 people, is being built to almost Passive House standards in terms of its high insulation and air tightness and is designed to be energy autonomous. The building will be ventilated and heated by a Paul Heat Recovery Ventilation system (Passivhaus certified) with electric post heater. Its electric energy is drawn from PV panels and two wind turbines.

Paul Heat Recovery Scotland is involved in this project and will donate the HRV system and will pass on expert knowledge to the design team in terms of specification, design and installation of HRV systems for untra-low energy buildings.

For more information, please visit the studio website: http://macromicro.co.uk

The COP26 house is a one-bedroom unit with mezzanine studio, with an internal floor area of 70m2. The original low carbon, low energy, affordable house was designed by Peter Smith of Roderick James Architects, based on their traditional oak frame barn style. The concept was updated by Peter for the COP26 House, aiming for zero carbon impact in construction and operation, and to offer a modern, comfortable, affordable means of delivering housing at scale, using ecologically responsible materials. The design of the COP26 House has been adapted from earlier built versions of this style, with a proven track record in both materials use and construction methodology.

This is the second project for COP26 that we are involved in. The SNRG Demonstrator.

It is the UK’s first home-grown mass timber structure with GLT and NLT structures. Build in the Construction Scotland Innovation Center it forms part of the COP26 show casing locally sourced and sustainable buildings in Scotland and the UK.