Ecological architecture - sustainable design

Regionally-appropriate, authentic, solution. Rural village location with mainline rail services and motorway accessible. The EcoVillage; Member-owned, developed and management of common areas and infrastructure including Biomass District Heating, Broadband etc. Co-operative build of terrace of 3, 3 storey live-work units, shared services.


  • Local Building contractor
  • Locally-fabricated structure, in Timber Frame including Party walls
  • Fabric acoustically insulated and Fire-rated for possible future separate occupancy of workspaces
  • Locally-manufactured external windows and doors, in engineered timber
  • Rooflights also triple-glazed, with trickle-venting and acoustic rating


Render finishes a condition of Planning Permission; rainscreen cladding, generally...Hemplime walling to the separate workspace units at ground floor level. Collaborative design process to devise bespoke balustrade detail by local craftsman. Locally-manufactured internal firedoors. Economic sustainability....AFFORDABILITY: Nett of 13.5% VAT, including floor finishes and discretionary extras. Average cost 1559 Euro per square metre. Located in County Tipperary, the 1st block of the Community Crescent/ An Corran is complete, with 5 more Live-work units and 2 apartments remaining. Built of locally-sourced materials; timberframe, prefabricated offsite, and joinery, natural slate roof and hemplime walling. Shallow trench foundations 50% Ecocem, Low-Carbon concrete (25 Newton). All timber FSC-certified. Fabric NSAI Agrement certified and air-infiltration pressure-tested. Natural slate roofs. Breathing wall construction with cellulose insulation. Galvanised steel gutters and RWPs. Internal finishes low VOCs; Marmoleum flooring and Clay paints (beautiful colours). Skirting heating and Wall heating with Underfloor at ground floor level workspaces. Gravity-fed water supplies, not pressurised (just a shower-pump). Low energy light fittings etc. Designed humidity-sensitive natural ventilation system, plus manual trickle venting in each room for overheating.