Hillside is a beautifully designed, energy efficient new build that effortlessly blends itself into the stunning surroundings of the Cornish countryside.
Designed by architect Daniel ‘Dig’ Mattholie; founder of Dig Architects, this detached property has been designed to the highest standards allowing for a net zero property, supporting Cornwall Council’s energy requirements for new build homes.
Daniel grew up in this part of Cornwall and has always had a passion for the ocean, the environment and sustainability. He believes that by combining cutting edge techniques with local talent, they can not only improve the energy efficiency of more homes in Cornwall but also make them less cost prohibitive.
With planning permission approved, work began on this 4 bed (with 2 home offices) property in 2021. When it came to enhancing the stunning vista of the Cornish countryside, Daniel incorporated a large corner sliding door into the design for the open plan kitchen dining space.
Daniel specified Ecohaus to provide the install and fit. “The large feature doors / glazing were to be the focal part of this home, and three aspects were critical:1) best possible performance (u-value, airtightness, opening function), 2) aesthetics – the door / track / ironmongery, 3) not impeding the view and maximising the opening size. After extensive research, the Internorm doors from ecoHaus were the right product for us”.
The client opted for Internorm HS330 sliding doors encapsulating the outdoor decking area and garden space. These triple glazed sliding doors measuring over 8m x 2m (8.8 (south) / 3.5 (east) x 2.3 high), offer incredibly low values and help contribute to the exceptional thermal efficiency of the home.
The external anthracite grey colour beautifully complements the low-maintenance cedar timber used to clad the house, with the client opting for natural spruce on the internal frames.
The carefully positioned glazing throughout the home ensures just the right amount of sunlight enters the home all year round.
When the time came for installing the windows, Daniel was just as impressed with the installation team who had their work cut out fitting such wide doors. “Ecohaus provided not only a quality product, but also a professional service, from start to finish. Support was always on hand, and a complicated install was ultimately made to appear easy.”
With glazing being such a critical element in achieving net zero, it’s great to here that the property is actually producing surplus renewable energy. “In its first year of operation Hillside exported (sold back to grid) nearly three times the energy it imported (paid for, from the grid); the all electric house (no oil or gas) generates roughly double the energy it uses and makes an annual profit.” says Daniel.
Dig Architects are proud to be adopting a non-standard ‘low tech, high performance’ approach – to drive down costs (both ‘up front’ and future maintenance / replacement) and energy demand in use – where it is delivering proven gains. Products like our Internorm sliding doors support this design and build approach.
For more information, visit their website https://www.digarchitects.co.uk/
To see more images of this stunning home, head over to our gallery page.