Footprint architects were appointed to create a new build sustainable home to the rear of the families existing house and business. Located in the heart of Downton, Wiltshire this eco-friendly home was sensitively designed to fit into the surrounding traditional aesthetic of the village.

Creating Simple Sustainable Solutions
Our team of architects are experienced in designing homes that incorporate simple design techniques to create sustainable family homes. Enhancing the thermal envelope and airtightness is a simple but highly effective way to reduce energy consumption and create long lasting eco friendly homes. This was achieved by using SIP Panel Construction (Structural Insulated Panel System) and natural timber cladding as a sustainable building material. Our fabric first approach to sustainable design uses building materials with low embodied carbon including this charred timber cladding selected for its durability. Installing sources of renewable energy to this home, such as solar PV panels, was a simple way to reduce it’s carbon footprint and save on energy bills.

Enhancing Family Life Through Sustainable Architecture
This family home was designed with passive house design principles at the forefront of its concept. A simple approach to sustainable design was undertaken by carefully analysing the site to provide an optimal position for the home in relation to the sun path and wind direction throughout the day. Passive house designed buildings use lots of insulation, fresh air, natural daylight and the sun to create high performing homes that maintain a constant temperature, all year round. This low-tech approach ensures that eco-homes are easy to use, have low running costs, are simple to maintain, and are healthy environments to live in.

Designing a Modern Eco-Home within a Conservation Area
The key design driver for the project was to create a modern eco home design with a high consideration and influence from the traditional aesthetic the village has. This is to ensure that the sustainable design has a clear and strong relationship to its surrounding context. Creating a simple pitched roof form was influenced from the traditional context but also for its sustainability benefits. Charred Timber was selected as a material to relate to the surrounding rural buildings. Light render is another traditional material used within this conservation area. Referencing these two materials allowed our team to design a home with a contemporary take on traditional materials that compliment the local context. We sensitively designed this new build home to respect the conservation area while enhancing modern family living.