Spent last weekend at the AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Buildings) in Oxford which was very inspiring and came back with the idea of designing a very low energy holiday lodge.  Better insulated lodges are beginning to appear on the market but the level of insulation is still way below that which could dramatically reduce heating bills, never mind reducing carbon emissions.  However, the Passiv Haus concept, pioneered by architects and engineers in mainland Europe, could reduce energy costs to 10-20% of their current level.  Combined with appropriate renewable energy systems, low energy lighting etc. there is the potential to create a lodge which is extremely comfortable and, even in Winter, costs very little to heat.  At its most extreme there is the prospect of buildings which are entirely off-grid.

As well as reducing utility bills other benefits include:

• reduction or elimination of infrastructure costs: electricity, gas even drainage and water
• extension of the season to year round
• opening up of land which is difficult to serve
• novelty value of staying in a Passiv Haus
• attractive to customers with strong environmental or ethical concerns

More detail can be found by following the links below but if you are interested in working on a design with us please call.

http://www.aecb.net/

http://www.passivhaus.org.uk/

http://www.vividgreen.co.uk/garden-offices-advice.php

Our new Pavilion is finished and I bravely slept in it last night with the external temperature down to zero.  Although not intended as a year round structure I am pleased to report that the stove did a sterling job and I even managed to oversleep and almost get snowed in!  So we are confident that this is truly a two season structure allowing you to let the space as Holiday Accommodation from early Spring through to late Autumn.  We also know that buildings similar to ours but without the benefit of solid, insulated walls are being let for £1000 a week, peak season.

Also, with the weak pound and British families cutting back on foreign trips, it is not only Pontins who are forecasting a 10% increase in Summer bookings.  Here is what Liz Hall, head of research for Hospitality and Leisure at PricewaterhouseCoopers said on Jan 9th:

“Due to the currency parity of the pound and euro, the domestic market should become stronger as more people decide to holiday in the UK, however lower margins are expected and there is likely to be a return to self-catering and campsites over hotel-based holidays.”

http://www.pwc.co.uk/eng/industries/hospitality_and_leisure_revpar_update_january_2009.html

Cosy inerior of Pavilion

However, with memories of the cold and wet of last Summer fresh in the minds, never mind the hard Winter, we think people will be looking for a little more comfort and something different which led us to design the Pavilion: insulated floor, solid walls, WC, insulated bedrooms (double plus bunk beds) and a sleeping/play loft for the children. Options include basic or luxurious fitout, rendered or timber clad walls, double glazed windows and doors and a multi-fuel stove. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself how this unit could extend your season and increase your income.

Timber clad version of Pavilion

The unit, together with our Canvas Lodge, will be on display until the end of March so if you would like to see this novel addition to our range of holiday accommodation please email Nina or myself to arrange a viewing. We have prepared comprehensive specification and price list so if you would like us to email you one of these please let us know. nina@vividgreen.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you.

Seasonal buildings

In designing buildings for the leisure sector and with all the interest in ‘glamorous camping’, teepees, yurts and the like, we thought it would be helpful to clarify the level of comfort which can be expected from our products.  We have adopted the terms used to describe sleeping bags as a way of classifying the use to which our designs can be put.

Our Canvas lodges are essentially one season buildings, intended primarily for Summer use.  Supplementary heating can be provided from a wood burning stove and the lodges are an inexpensive way of providing additional accommodation during the busy Summer season.

Two season buildings are intended for accommodation during the Summer, Spring and Autumn.  With timber walls, a canvas ceiling and synthetic fly sheet our Pavilions also include a sleeping/play loft for youngsters so that the insulated mezzanine floor ensures the two bedrooms below are warm and cosy.  Heating is provided by a wood burning stove.  These structures are very flexible and can be as basic or as luxurious as you and your clients require.

Some clients see these buildings as simple, back to basics retreats and will only provide candle, battery or gas lighting and no electricity.  Hot water is provided by boiling a kettle on the stove which can also be used for cooking.  A WC can be installed as well as a sink but showers etc are usually provided in a separate block.  However, if you want to create a more luxurious experience the following upgrades are available:

• insulation to the walls
• shower
• hot water
• electricity.

We are currently building a 4.8 x 4.8m unit which will be on show from the end of January but the following drawings give an idea of how it will look.  External finishes can either be timber cladding or a rendered finish on cement particle board and there is a wide choice of colours and even patterns for the ceiling and fly.

For year round or three season use, our Penthouse range provides a comfortable structure with a high level of insulation together with underfloor heating.  Using Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), the design options are endless and we can deliver any structure from a dormitory to a holiday lodge.  Where fossil fuels are being used for space heating we believe thermal efficiency should be at a high level so the insulation in the floor, walls and roof as well as the windows and doors of our structures meets (100 spec) or exceeds (150 spec) that required for new housing in the UK and ensures a very comfortable environment year round at reduced cost.

Invitation

We will have a canvas lodge and a pavilion on show from the end of January in Harpenden and, if you would like to see the buildings on any of the following days please email Nina to book a slot (nina@vividgreen.co.uk).

• Friday 6 February
• Saturday 7 February
• Monday 8 February