_Green Garden Rooms Ireland offer a building that not only gives a high level of comfort with low running cost and C02 emissions, but that the materials used are good for the environment in their type and use.
The need to protect the environment is ever more important. By using timber and organic products, CO2, is stored reducing its level. The more demand for timber, the more can be grown and therefore more CO2 stored.
Low energy Designed to work as a passive solar building. So good siting, orientation, intelligent glazing & high levels of insulation will greatly aid reduction of energy consumption
Insulation Levels of insulation as high and as natural as can be budgeted for. These can be either Isoflox (recycled paper) which is blown in, rolls of sheep’s wool, washed sheep’s wool, raw sheep’s fleece, rolls of hemp wool, hemp, wood fibre, recycled plastic or straw. Recommended minium thickness of fibre insulation for the walls roof & floor is 150mm or 6" with 60mm or 2.1/2" rigid added to the roof, to give an over all thickness equivalent to 300mm or 12" of fibre. Future proofing of insulation can easily be built into the design, reducing future costs.
Construction Built almost entirely of timber using standard size timbers from local suppliers, either Builder Suppliers or Saw mills. All structures built to the latest building regulations, using good quality materials.
Turf roof The roof is what is called a warm roof structure which means that a good amount of the insulation is above the roof structure, so that any water vapour that might be present is unable to condense and give rise to conditions for mould growth. The alternative is a vented roof which is not as warm due to the cooling brought about by the venting. The insulation used above the structure is Kingspan, it can be replaced by a wood fibre material but it will increase the cost. The main membrane is two layers of thick plastic membrane glued together and to the roof, with another layer above the Kingspan below the soil. Coated aluminum flashings protect exposed plastic around the edge of the roof and to direct water into the gutter.
Good quality windows Fakro roof windows are now used, look almost identical to Velux, which work very well with wood framed, timber clad walls.Un like Velux they have a simple opening handle at the bottom of the frame which means a larger glass area per overall window size and easier to open. They have a good U value and are fitted with a hit & miss vent to allow ingress of fresh air, it is possible to have trible glazed, which reduces the heat loss by 25%. The flashings they come with are very effective, preventing any water from entering the wall. These windows are also maintenance free. Other windows can be used if wished.
Doors Are good quality redwood Kelly doors, recommended painted with a breathable exterior coating. Any glazing would be double glazed. Handles to be of your choice. Other doors can be used if wished.
Walls These are breathable and airtight. The inside surface is a product called Sasmox which is made of wood fibre and plaster, which has it’s smooth glass like surface facing inside and the screw holes & joins are filled & sanded ready for painting. Behind it is the vapour check layer with it’s joins and junctions taped. The external cladding is wooden vertical boards fixed to battens which are fixed to the frame with a breathable membrane between, with it’s joins and junctions taped. The boards & battens are treated or if Larch untreated.
Footings The building stands on wooden legs strapped to & onto padstone footings with a damp proofed layer between. The padstones are small and made of reinforced concrete onto compacted hardcore.
Floor The wooden floor is 600mm or 2' above the ground, the top internal surface is 18mm OSB T&G flooring ready to take final surface, the under side 11mm thick 8'x4' OSB Grade 3. Insulated between joists with the same choice of materials as the walls.
Qualities These buildings are rodent and argon gas proof. They will never go damp & mouldy even if they are left unused. Being a turf roof means you will not hear the rain, it will reduce your ecological foot print greatly and hold water releasing it slowly.
Maintenance If the external wood work is given a good quality UV protective breathable coating every 5 years or so, the life of the building would be at least 50years.
Supply The structure can either be supplied as a turn key building or a kit or any stage in between. If self build is chosen, help is available. It can be offered at different times and ways. Either, product manage, instruction sheet with kit, on site help when needed, a group self build project or green building course, or anything that works.
Cost The cost of such a building depends on the design, materials and site, but at present as a rough guide 1 metre square of floor area of a single story building, as an empty space ready to receive additions, on fairly level site is €1,000.00. If you want a more exact figure a design and decision on additions needs to be decided, following a site visit or by information sent either by email or post.
Additions Solar panels & there systems, heat recovery, water storage, wood stove with or with out back boiler & system, any internal walls, fixtures & fittings, painting & decorating, kitchen units, plumbing, electrical fixtures & fittings, decking, can be added on request, cost dependant on your choice.
Planning As far as planing goes as I understand it is, as long as the internal floor area is no greater than 24 Metre square then there is no need to get planing approval, this may need to be checked with your local planing authority.
Contact Please feel free to contact me, David Simmonds 0868685176 or [email protected].