Technical Specifications
The following information provides an insight into the technical specification of the house build and the main heating system in the house.
At the bottom of the page you can download a very comprehensive technical brochure from Riko House which should answer any questions you may have about the house.
Nothing can compare to the quality of the timber engineering provided by Riko House not only in the materials and build quality but the overall standard of living provided internally. This house is uniquely easy to heat, retains its heat exceptionally well, is airtight, breathable and provides a substantial amount of solar gain to the main living area which is just so warm and relaxing even through the coldest of winters. During the cold spell this winter the house seemed to operate even better when faced with the extreme weather. For a house of its size, it is very economical.
The house has a very efficient combination of an air-to-water heat pump coupled with an underfloor heating system both on the ground floor and upstairs. Underfloor heating is not normally used upstairs in a timberframe house unless it is specifically engineered to take the weight. However as you can see from the house specifications, this is not a timberframe house and it is specifically engineered to enable it to take the weight of a screeded floor upstairs. The house employs massive 10x7 inch visible joists throughout the house. An eco-friendly American screed system that uses a combination of sand and gypsum to provide an efficient heat bed for the underfloor pipes was used upstairs instead of concrete.
This system, Levelrock, is extremely heat efficient and heats up in a fraction of the time it takes concrete to do the same. The screed also provides a welcome sound insulation barrier between upstairs and downstairs. The house is a constant 18-20 degrees and each room temperature is controlled by its own micro-computer thermostat.
The first floor build-up will give you an indication of the insulation value and soundproofing the finished floor provides. Starting underneath:
- 220x140 joists
- 35mm T&G spruce floorboards
- 2mm Vapour barrier
- 100mm Kingspan rigid insulation
- 2mm Vapour barrier
- 60mm Levekrock gypsum screed
- 32mm finished engineered flooring
The Heating System
A lot of energy and research went into how the house was going to be heated. Most of the options involved looked at green energy, not only to compliment the ethos of the house construction and materials used but to future proof the house and save on energy use.
A renewable energy engineering company, Pure Renewable Energy, was contracted to design and fit an air-to-water heat pump along with the underfloor heating system and all house plumbing requirements.
The system installed is a Dimplex LA16 Air-To-Water heat pump with a coefficient performance (CoP) of 3.4 Dimplex are a world leader in the development of green energy, specifically in the heat pump arena. The system feeds a 400 litre hot water tank and a 200 litre buffer vessel for the underfloor heating supply. Heat loss is eliminated by using pre-insulated Calpex oxygen barrier pipes with foam insulation. The system is controlled by an in-house micro-processor.
Contact Details
Larchwood Lodge
Pembrokestown
Duncormick
Co. Wexford
Tel: 051 563570
Mobile: 087 6187541
Email: info@larchwoodlodge.com
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