Velidhu
This contemporary, multi award winning home is a showcase of low-energy design, combining passive and active solar strategies through its sunspace and rooftop photovoltaic array. Set on a corner-shaped plot, the layout makes the most of its unusual geometry: the ground floor footprint differs from the first floor, which extends outward to embrace the garden and optimise solar orientation. A cantilevered upper level and a lush green roof lend the building a striking, dynamic profile.
Super-insulated with natural sheep’s wool, the airtight yet breathable envelope features triple-glazed external joinery for exceptional thermal performance. When solar gain is low, heating is provided primarily by an air-to-water source heat pump feeding underfloor circuits, supplemented by a high-efficiency wood-burning stove. A mechanical ventilation and heat-recovery system ensures fresh air with minimal energy loss, while a rainwater harvesting network supplies the WCs, washing machine, and garden taps.
Clad in locally grown timber and Trevillett stone, the house comfortably surpasses Passive House U-values and achieved an outstanding air-pressure test result, maintaining year-round comfort with minimal heating demand. Its credentials are remarkable: with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of 103, the highest recorded in Cornwall, the home produces more energy income than it consumes, thanks to the photovoltaic feed-in tariff and the Renewable Heat Incentive for the heat pump.
Velidhu has earned multiple industry accolades, including:
• 2017 Cornwall Sustainability Awards – Winner, New Build Category
• 2017 International Green Apple Awards – Silver Winner
• 2019 Build It Awards – Best Eco Home
Ready to create your own dream home? Get in touch with Arco2 Architecture and start shaping a sustainable future today. https://www.arco2.co.uk/
