Ostro

Ostro – The Designer’s Design Passivhaus

In March 2014, owner and architect Mhairi & her partner Martin, from PHT member Paper Igloo Ltd, engaged in an ambitious self-build project in the historical conservation village of Kippen, near Stirling, Scotland. The ‘box in a box’ timber frame home received certification in October 2017 becoming the first certified Passivhaus in Stirlingshire. It has also achieved Scottish Technical Standards Section 7: Sustainability Gold Level.

The house takes the form of a Siberian larch-clad box with a flat felt roof system incorporating a Sedum green roof and a dramatic south-facing double height space.

The orientation and balanced proportion of windows both maximise the views and minimise the risk of overheating in the summer months. The windows are all triple-glazed and the doors aluminium-insulated. The timber frame twin wall features a continuous thermal break and external layer and is totally insulated with wood fibre. The house also features renewables such as solar and PV panels.

Energy Performance:

“As co-owners of an architectural practice specialising in low energy buildings it seemed the logical choice when we chose to build ourselves a new home, given the proven levels of comfort and consistent performance achieved generally by buildings that meet the Passivhaus Standard.”

Martin McCrae and Mhairi Grant, Paper Igloo Ltd

Being their first Passivhaus project and having the additional challenge of incorporating elements such a double-height into the design, the owners hadn’t set themselves an easy task, but they were driven by both personal and professional motives. Not only were they enthused by the idea of living in a contemporary passivhaus, but they also wanted to showcase the Standard to their future clients.

Martin and Mhairi co-own their architectural practice Paperigloo.

Here you see Martin and Mhairi talking about MVHR inside their home.