The breathing wall cottage

Water is the main cause of building deterioration, from the outside as rain and from the inside as condensation. Therefore avoiding condensation and repelling rain should be the starting point for a durable low impact, energy efficient house. The cottage is a timberframe 'breathing wall' construction that has larch weather boarding externally and warmcell insulation.

The roof

The cottage roof is covered with recycled traditional clay tiles. The ceiling and loft insulation is warmcell. This is a loose fill recycled paper that provides thermal and acoustic insulation. Warmcell is made from shredded recycled newspaper with added borax and boracic acid that ensures the material is fire-resistant. The material gives an outstanding improvement to the climate of the building because of its thermal and vapour absorption capacity - the ability to regulate temperature and moisture. It will therefore protect the structure and keep it dry, prolonging the lifetime of the cottage.