Durham Deep Retrofit

This project is a whole-house, deep retrofit of an early twentieth century end-of-terrace house in South London. The works stripped back the house to its shell of solid brick walls and re-lined the walls with insulation, airtight boards and new interior finishes to create a highly energy-efficient home. Energy performance was modelled using Passivhaus software which estimated a reduction in demand for space heating from 293 kWh/m²/yr to 77 kWh/m²/yr, a reduction of almost 75%. A photovoltaic array of 2.2 kWp was installed on the roof giving a predicted output of 1,795 kWh/yr or 15 kWh/m²/yr.

The home was also extended to the rear, replacing a cramped existing kitchen with a bright, open-plan kitchen and dining space. The dining area is defined by a vaulted pyramidal roof with exposed timber framing in white oiled ash. Fitted cabinetry throughout the ground floor brings character to the living areas and discreetly provides several facilities that were missing from the original Victorian layout: a bench to take on and off shoes, a walk-in cupboard for coats and a utility cupboard with a washing machine. Elsewhere, fitted cabinetry increases the amount of storage whilst maintaining generous spaces. Several new windows were added to the house to bring light into previously dim areas and an interior window between the hallway and living area helps to bring more space and light to they typically constrained entry. A frosted window in the kitchen runs down the back of the worktop illuminating the working area.

Photography: Agnese Sanvito