A green building in Birdbrook, Suffolk has won an award - the timber clad house with red clay roof tiles has been named as the East of England Building of the Year by The Royal Institute of British Architects. The building, designed by Suffolk based Modece Architects and studiomgm architects, beat seven category winners to the top prize. It also won the sustainability award. The house was built to Passivhaus standards, with an emphasis on low tech systems, insulation and air-tightness. This removed the need for a heating system and there is no mechanical heat recovery system. The house achieves the original aim of the owners, which was to live a zero-carbon lifestyle.

Peter Goodwin, jury Chairman and director of Chambers Goodwin & Partners, said, “A very green house for a very green client. This detached building has it all – a wind turbine on a hilltop site generating surplus electricity, earth pipes for fresh air, solar water heating, rainwater harvesting providing potable water, composter and reed bed for foul water, and all constructed of recycled and/or recyclable materials with a large garden for vegetables.

There is no heating apart from a wood burning stove and a wood fired cooker. The clients only pay council tax and a nominal water charge and the house is truly zero carbon. It is also partially self-build which accounts for its low budget. What an example to us all of how to nurture the world`s resources.