OakenStone have always been committed to developing and building beautiful and efficient homes, and as energy costs spiral, understandably more and more customers are prioritising energy efficiency in their new home and renovation designs.  And who can blame them?  Sensible, additional expenditure at the design and build stages delivers significantly reduced running costs for the entire life of a building. 

This year we completed the construction of a large 5-bedroomed super-insulated home using modern technology to minimise energy demands.  Extra thick thermal insulation protects the entire building, minimising temperature fluctuations, a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) linked to underfloor heating answers any additional heat requirements (although we anticipate it will barely be needed), while a sophisticated Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system (MVHR) refreshes and warms the air in this almost airtight home.

We are now ready to take the logical next step in our commitment to excellent design.  Last year Dave Mowle, our chief technical designer, completed the PassivHaus Designer course, meaning OakenStone is now ready to offer full PassivHaus design and architecture services to clients in the Derbyshire Dales and surrounding areas!

The core principles of PassivHaus Design create a building that is:

• Super-Insulated – not just lots of insulation, but expertly designed and fitted insulation

• Free of Thermal Bridges – any point where heat is transferred through the fabric of the building

• Very Low Air-Leakage – the building is wrapped with an air-tight barrier and all joints are sealed

• Best Quality Windows – triple glazed units with insulated frames and coated glazing

• Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery – refreshing the air in the house instead of draughts!

• Passive Solar with Solar Shading – using shading and exposure to take advantage of the sun, year-round.

Simply put, we aim to build homes that don’t leak heat, stay warm in winter and cool in summer, and which therefore require little or no additional heating. 

Look out for updates to our website as we develop and promote this exciting new direction for our company.

Are you planning a new home or a major renovation?  If so, you will doubtless already be thinking about your new building’s energy usage.  Why not contact OakenStone Design Planning Build to find out how we can help turn your dream into an energy efficient reality!