Professor Designs Sustainable Housing
Professor Gokay Deveci, from the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, has applied his world-renowned expertise in sustainable housing to design the first certified Passivhaus in Scotland, demonstrating that cutting-edge design and affordability are not mutually exclusive.
Professor Deveci has designed
‘Bethania' - an affordable housing scheme comprising 10 semi-detached houses on
the island of Dunoon. The scheme is the first in Scotland to be officially accredited by the
Passivhaus Institut in Germany.
This voluntary construction standard is only awarded to buildings meeting
rigorous energy efficiency criteria. A passivhaus house is an energy-efficient building that has
year-round comfort and a good indoor climate, without the use of active space
heating or cooling systems. The heating requirement is reduced by means of
passive measures to the point that there is no longer any need for a
conventional heating system.
Professor Deveci, who is also a senior member of the University's Institute for Innovation, Design and Sustainability (IDEAS), said, "Over 40% of the UK's CO2 emissions come from houses, yet by 2016, the Government has decreed that all new houses must be zero-carbon. Consequently it is of the utmost importance that we apply our knowledge of building design, and the technology that is currently available, to producing houses with a minimal carbon footprint.
"I am absolutely delighted that the Bethania houses are the first in Scotland
to be awarded Passivhaus status, as it proves that sustainable, energy
efficient design is possible on a restricted budget. Affordability
has not been achieved at the expense of architectural design or construction
quality, and the design solutions we arrived at meet the requirements of best
practice in environmental sustainability.
"The success of this project is down to excellent team-work, and I am very grateful to the Scottish Passivhaus Centre (SPHC), which played a key role in providing energy efficiency consultancy, and supplying vital Passivhaus components."
Gary Simlett worked with Gokay on the project.