4 November 2014
Planning approval has been granted for the prototype of an innovative new concept in affordable, self build eco-housing to be built in South Wales.
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The prototype, taking the form of the ‘Barnhaus’ design, will be built near Bridgend and will be funded by Valleys to Coast Housing Association South Wales. Four houses will be constructed, using local suppliers and labour, with the potential for tenant participation in the build. The innovative project will explore the construction of new housing using steel frame, straw bales and other non-traditional materials, with the involvement of national advisory bodies such as BRE Wales and Cardiff University. When the dwellings are completed, tenants will be chosen to live in them, and post construction evaluation will measure their performance in use.
The Barnhaus won the 2013 Self Build on a Shoestring ideas competition, organised by the National Custom & Self Build Association (NaCSBA) in collaboration with Grand Designs Live. The design, submitted by architect Ed Green – an associate with Cardiff-based Pentan Partnership, featured a low-cost agricultural steel portal frame delivering a 100m2 Passive home for £41,000.
After winning the competition, Barnhaus received masses of media exposure both in the UK and abroad and hundreds of people have since contacted Pentan asking where they can buy one. The practice has been developing the design with a wide range of partners including the Design Commission for Wales and the Energy Savings Trust, and has been discussing the delivery of social housing with Welsh Government. Barnhaus has been developed for both private and social housing, and was presented at Shelter Cymru’s AGM in July this year.
Mr Green said: “In addition to these homes in Wales, we’ve also obtained formal planning approval to replicate the design in the form of a single private self build residence in Aberdeenshire.”
