Efficiency and Aesthetics

PRISPA has developed various methods of integrating architectural and engineering information at different design stages. This outlook on the project has “affected” the house envelope, the technical core, the modular structure elements, daylight systems, PV panels – in other words, the structural heart of PRISPA.

House envelope.

Designed to be as efficient as possible, the house envelope features specific characteristics which steer the house towards embracing the passive house philosophy. Our particular care for structural detail has lead us towards building an exterior which makes it possible to minimize the annual heating an cooling load, to optimize natural lighting and to integrate solar technology. Therefore, we came up with a modular configuration based on the use of I-joists, which provides the best, most flexible way to frame floors, walls and the roof, “persuading” the house to perform passively.

Technical Core

Made of kitchen, technical space and bathroom, the technical core was designed to form a compact module, bearing in mind our very particular transportation necessities (our house will need to be transported and reassembled in Madrid). As follows, the technical core may easily be transported on a single truck. It is entirely prefabricated and one of the first elements to be fixed in position in the assembly/construction stage. Designed to be compact, its rigidity helps the roof construction and plays an important part as a structural element.

The placement of the technical core enhances the social potential of the entire house, proving a steady preoccupation throughout the entire design process of the house, as it separates the day zone from the night zone, which are therefore well delineated, providing privacy. In addition, it is easily accessible from both sides, day and night zone.

Daylight Systems

Quite simply, we aim to have natural daylight in all spaces of our solar house. Therefore, the design of daylight systems is developed according to four key aspects: increasing daylight levels deep within rooms, improving daylight uniformity, controlling direct sunlight and reducing glare and discomfort of occupants.

The challenge, as follows, is to design window openings to allow for adequate day lighting and, at the same time, minimizing heating in summer and cooling in winter. We are running simulations in order to achieve suitable dimensions and ideal positioning of the windows to benefit as much as we can from natural light. Ideally, an elongated window on the northern side of the house, should solve this challenge, by evenly distributing daylight in the living/dining area, bedroom and the hall way between them.

Ventilation

Our twofold ventilation system features both natural and mechanical ventilation. Natural ventilation uses the design of the house and natural draft as the main tools for refreshing the air inside the house. Bearing in mind that in Madrid, wind blows generally from north to south, the windows from the northern side and those from the southern side, will open and close in order to circulate the air that comes in and the one that comes out, not storing any draft inside the house, but rather creating a refreshing air flow inside the house.

Mechanical ventilation implies the use of a heat exchanger that changes the temperature of air comingin and out of the house, achieving a better effect than the natural ventilation system, as it recovers the heat from the air inside the house, up to 90%. The main advantage of mechanical ventilation is versatility. Namely, with minor modifications it is just as efficient in winter, as it is in summer.