Dripsey Passive House

Client – Private Client

Status – Complete

This project involved the upgrade of a former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks dating from c. 1830’s. The original 1830’s building has been retained and restored, while the existing poor-quality western extensions were demolished. A new two-story extension is provided to the west, along with single-storey extensions to the north and south.

The restored original building contains an open plan kitchen & dining space, with new living room and utility / plant room extensions to the south and the north respectively. The first floor contains the master bedroom suite. The new western extension contains further bedroom & living accommodation.

Landscaping has been kept simple, with a focus on the existing vegetation and trees, which have been strengthened where appropriate. A large mature oak tree is located approx. 125m to the southwest and is a focal point of the proposed design.

External finishes include both lime and nanopor renders and fibre cement slate. Salvaged bangor blue roof slates were used on the original building.

Construction is a mix of externally insulated blockwork and timber frame, with insulated GGBS concrete slab and Geocell foam glass foundations. Breathable wood fibre and cork insulations along with lime-based renders are proposed for the upgrade of the stone walls of the original dwelling.

The project meets the Passive House standards (certification pending) and has achieved an A1 BER rating (8.16 kWh/m²/yr & 1.04 kgCO2 /m²/yr). The retention of the existing building has helped to lower the project’s overall carbon footprint.