Upton site C residences

This award-winning scheme for a new housing development near Upton manages to combine high architectural standards with a strong sustainability agenda — a sometimes tricky balancing act. Equipped with a range of renewable energy technologies and built to low energy standards, the houses feature ample glazing and some double-height spaces as part of a high-specification architectural brief.

The two-storey residences are in loadbearing masonry with pitched vaulted timber roofs. Where possible precast concrete floor planks have been used to increase thermal mass. Elsewhere engineered TJI timber floor joists are used as part of a minimised construction approach. Using each house's roof structure as a diaphragm to carry its own load to the outer supporting walls maximises room height at second floor level.

The houses are highly insulated, with specific detailing to prevent cold-bridging. For example, nylon washers buffer the steel-frame balconies' connections to the superstructure, reducing the amount of cold air that seeps inside: this also helps reduce condensation and mould growth.