This is a question we are being asked more and more frequently with the impact of fuel costs both in terms of carbon emissions and on our pockets, and the simple answer is, yes, it is possible.

The key to the success of the building is that you will have a structural oak frame internally with an airtight, insulated envelope surrounding this, and to avoid all penetration of this skin to reduce thermal bridging and possible airtightness issues as the oak dries out.

Oakwrights frames can be tailored to be Barn Style, Contemporary or Post & Beam internally to suit all tastes with the common element being a suitably insulated envelope, such as our WrightWall Natural, which utilises JJI-Joists and Warmcel insulation amongst other components to provide wall and roof panels with minimum U-values of 0.15W/m2K and 0.12W/m2K respectively. In our climate these should be sufficient to provide a good starting point for a Passive House design.

As is the case of any Passive House, or indeed a home built on the principles thereof, careful and thoughtful design can achieve an elegant, efficient building which can buck the perceived understanding that Passive Houses tend to be bland, boxy structures.

David Bryan
Architectural & Building Regulations Technician at Oakwrights