Greenwood Lodge

This unique house on the Isle of Wight was designed by Mitchell Evans Architects to Passivhaus principles. 

The original design brief was for a new contemporary dwelling suitable for retirement following the demolition of an existing chalet bungalow. The accommodation was spread over two floors with five ensuite bedrooms circulated around a double-height living space and incorporating an indoor pool.

Located next to a Grade 1 listed Roman monument and within an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), special care and attention had to be given to the design, the materiality and the position of the house within its spectacular rural setting. 

The concept was influenced by a farmstead and silos which led to the design of individual pods which each accommodates a bedroom with a different view – of Culver Down, Sandown Bay or the English Channel.

Optimising the Design and Energy Strategy

Mesh worked closely with the architectural team and the private client to optimise the design and energy strategy for the home.

A feasibility study was undertaken to define the energy strategy for the site which incorporated:

• Ground source heat pump,
• Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery
• Underfloor heating on the ground floor 
• PV solar array.

The bedroom ‘pods’ follow the sun and roof-mounted photovoltaic solar slates were specified to generate electricity. 

Our engineers advised on building fabric optimisation and used dynamic thermal modelling to perform an overheating analysis ensuring thermal comfort during the warmer summer months.

Images - Mitchell Evans Architects