We design and build our houses to be as low energy as possible. To continually learn from our work we install loggers in our houses to see how they actually perform. Without monitoring there is no room to learn what is actually happening in the build. The temperature outside and inside on each level is monitored, along with the performance of any renewable energy devices. So much can be learnt from this -particularly with solar panels since it is very difficult otherwise to assess how much they are contributing to the hot water demand.
The conventional brick and block lobby in the UK often accuse timber frame buildings of suffering from summer overheating. This can be an issue if the house is not designed properly - and acts more like a garden greenhouse then a house through too much summer solar gain. Our logged data taken over the course of a year will show the real world results of this issue to show that well built timber frame housing is the sustainable choice for the future.
