Completed Projects

We built this 320m2 house in Wicklow to Low Energy levels in 2006 using Externally Insulated Poroton blocks. It uses about 1.5 tonnes of Wood Pellets/annum costing about €280/annum which is just outside Passive Levels. All Cold Bridges were eliminated and we didn't put in a heating system upstairs only UF heating downstairs in the living area. We achieved an Airtightness test of 1 airchange/hour @ 50kp. We tendered for this project as a standard build putting our own stamp on it when we won the tender. By using our building techniques we believe we are saving the client about €2,000/annum in heating costs.

We built this house in Monkstown, Dublin last year using Poroton with Rockwool in the cavity. It was the first house in Dublin built using our Passive Foundation so the house is sitting on a 300mm bed of Structural Polysterene. The walls and windows were not to Passive levels but the roof, foundations and airtightness were to Passive levels. Initial Performance would suggest that this house which was featured on the Duncan Stewart show will have an annual heating cost of €150-€200/annum.

We just completed this project so are waiting to see how it performs this winter. We built all elements to Passive Standard.

We renovated this cottage in Sandyford and built a rear extension from Poroton, both the extension and cottage were Externally Insulated with 100mm of Rockwool. The roof was insulated with 300mm of blown Cellulose and 300mm of Polystyrene was put in the floor, we also fitted a condensing combi boiler. This superinsulated house is performing extremely well and can be heated for €150/year.

We built this Wicklow house in 2005 and it was the first house in Ireland built from 9 inch Cavity blocks Externally Insulated with 200mm Rockwool batts. We put 300mm blown Cellulose in the roof and it was the first house we used an Intello Membrane on which was tricky because of all the dormer windows. We got an Airtightness test of 2 Airchanges at 50kP which was not bad for our first stab. The client who is an Engineer insisted that we use the traditional foundation system using concrete block rising walls and Kingspan Insulation sheets. The major weakness of this house as the Cold Bridge all around the house where the walls meet the ground and Kingspan should not be used in damp areas as it loses its U-value when wet and the Pentane gas migrates giving it a similar U-value to Polystyrene.

We built this Extension in Crumlin in 2006 from Externally Insulated Poroton blocks. The south facing conservatory works very well giving a lot of light to the rear living space. My only comment on this project is that the client wanted heating in the Sunspace which loses a lot of heat in Winter.

We built this Extension in Beach Road in 2007 and it was featured on the Duncan Stewart show. We also reinsulated and renovated the existing house using HRV, Solar Panels Modulating Condensing Combi Gas Boiler and 100mm External Insulation. The floors were removed, insulated and re-laid using 300mm of Polystyrene, 75mm Concrete with UF heating. The roof was reinsulated with Cellulose and made Airtight. The front brick wall was drylined with 100mm Softboard which is the only drylining system that does not cause fungus/mould where the wall meets the drylining.

We Renovated and Externally Insulated the walls and flat roof in this Dublin house in 2008. We also airtightned the roof with Softboard sheets and Rockwool batts. I got an email from the client in Jan 09 requesting additional work, She finished her email with these words- "Hope this finds you well, our house is lovely and cosy after the work you did last year".

We built this Portmarnock house in 2005/6 and it was the first Irish house built using Externally insulated 9 inch cavity blocks. We Externally Insulated the cavity block with 150mm of EPS and put 400mm of Cellulose in the Attic. The house wasn't airtightness tested and there was a Cold Bridge where the walls met the floor which wasn't dealt with. We used brick slips over the EPS at the lower level which worked well and allowed us to continue the insulated envelope.

We finished this house for St Vincent De Paul in 2008. It is divided into 4 self contained apartments each with its own HRV unit and Condensing Combi Boiler. It is built using our Passive Foundation system using 300mm of Polysterene. The roof is insulated with 450mm of Blown Cellulose and the walls are built using 200mm of Rockwool. The Airtightness test was done and shows that the Airtightness is at Passive Levels of 1.5 Airchanges/hr@50Kp.

Here is a recommendation from Tom the owner of this house we built: Our Viking Timber Frame house is built with lots of Gutex Softboard and Cellulose insulation. It has a high Decrement Delay and I was influenced by the Viking House ethos. We have Softboard both internally and externally with cellulose insulation in between (both in the roof and walls). I'm not up on figures or calculations but performance so far has been excellent - nice and cool last summer and now wonderfully warm this winter, almost passive - just need the wood burner on for 1-2 hours on cold evenings. I'd suggest that this technique deserves more attention in the UK and Ireland - it's common on the continent. Viking House and NBT seem to be the people with the most experience of building with this method.

Foxrock Mixed Passive House Development comprising of a Doctors Surgery, Veterinary Clinic and 2 Apartments. We could have built this to 2005 building regs but decided to build it to Passive House standard at our own expense. We achieved a 90% reduction in energy demand by building to the Passive Standard.

Viking Passive House in Limerick with Poroton block walls Externally Insulated with Rockwool.

Viking Timber Frame Passive House in New Inn, Tipperary

Highly Insulated Extension and Renovation in Willowbank Park, Dublin

Passive house in Nenagh stalled due to the financial downturn owing us over €100k. This house was built from Poroton blocks externally Insulated and our G-element Passive House foundation system.

450m2 Passive House built in Ashbourne with 200mm Poroton blocks and 250mm of Dense Rockwool in the cavity. There is a 25m2 Solar Array to the rear that heats the house in the Winter and heats a swimming pool in the summer. There is 250mm of EPS in the floor and 400mm of Cellulose in the roof. The heating is backed up with a wood pellet boiler.

Bungalow renovated to Passive House standard in Glencullen. 400mm of insulation under the floors, 300mm in the roof and 300mm in the walls in the form of External Insulation and blown bead. HRV fitted and a 15m2 solar array with a 2000L buffer tank backed up with a stove with a back boiler. New triple glazed Argon filled German Windows were installed.

Dormer bungalow renovated to Passive House standard in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow. This will probably be Irelands first Energy Plus renovation as a windmill and PV array has been fitted to power their Electric Car.

Passive Timber Frame house built by Viking House in Tipperary 2008 with no heating system, just loads of insulation!