Baufritz haus (like a Huf Haus)

[Simoncello]

HI All, 

 

Purchasing a Baufritz (German designed and built eco house) in the near future and will be looking for info, asking questions etc.  Will post in relevant Forums but pls reply if you have knowledge/experience of Baufritz, or indeed live in one. 

 

 

 

 

 

[IanR]

Hi and welcome.

What made you choose Baufritz? (not a loaded question, I know nothing about them).

What are the "Eco" credentials? Good U Values and Airtightness? What Foundation/floor systems will you use?

Edited September 28, 2021 by IanR

[ToughButterCup]

4 minutes ago, IanR said:

...
What are "Eco" credentials?

...

 

The German site talks about " Wir bauen Gesundheit" We build health (as in wellness)

My (German) reaction to that is hmmmm  ....  Some German bread has been rebranded as (in translation) Protein Bread. Rye breads and the like ... same stuff as it always was - its just that  normal  bread isn't the mood of the moment

 

In short Eco  in this context appears to me to be a reaction to the mood of the moment. Eco is where its at. Huff and Ecofritz and others from Germany have always built to higher than UK insulation standards - because it's 'kin cold there in winter.  Triple glazing is the norm.... 

 

 

[Simoncello]

We didn't specifically go looking for a Baufritz, so it wasn't a deliberate choice as such. We saw the house advertised by an estate agent, it's in the area we want to be in, and within our budget, so we bought it. ? 

 

The fact that it is flooded with natural light, is open plan, is well built, and has eco credentials (air source heat pump, solar panels, passivhaus certification) and is of a design and style that we like is of course all highly beneficial.

 

However, we weren't previously familiar with either passive houses or this type of modular construction, so we'll undoubtedly be asking some (dumb) questions shortly... ? 

[Bitpipe]

Welcome, very nice but I understand very £££ / m2.

 

Don't think anyone active here has built one or a Huf Haus but we'll soon see!

 

Most here have built or are building low energy homes using traditional (block) or modern (ICF, TF, SIPs etc) methods.

 

Eco is somewhat meaningless unless grounded in terms of specific performance such as SAP, PHPP or similar targets for insulation, airtightness, solar gain, water usage etc

 

[Bitpipe]

2 minutes ago, Simoncello said:

We didn't specifically go looking for a Baufritz, so it wasn't a deliberate choice as such. We saw the house advertised by an estate agent, it's in the area we want to be in, and within our budget, so we bought it. ? 

 

The fact that it is flooded with natural light, is open plan, is well built, and has eco credentials (air source heat pump, solar panels, passivhaus certification) and is of a design and style that we like is of course all highly beneficial.

 

However, we weren't previously familiar with either passive houses or this type of modular construction, so we'll undoubtedly be asking some (dumb) questions shortly... ? 

 

Ok, just seen your post  Well done!

 

If it's built to passive standards then you should be able to look forward to year round comfort with good efficiency and low energy bills in winter.

 

The main risk is actually overheating in summer as the house will hold onto any heat within and if that is generated by unwanted solar gain then you can have an issue. Also occurs in spring and autumn when sun is lower in sky and can penetrate further into the house, but as the outside air is cooler, you can mitigate easier.

 

Investigate the MVHR system which will provide energy efficient ventilation when you want to keep doors and windows closed in winter - how often they change filters etc.

 

Not much else to add really, you will find that MVHR and the more controlled environment can mean humidity is lower than in a naturally ventilated house which has advantages (clothes dry quickly) but can lead to dry skin if you're sensitive to that.

 

Just to be clear, you do not need to live in a sealed box have as much fresh air as you want, doors & windows open etc but just remember you don't need to if it gets cold outside. 

[SteamyTea]

2 hours ago, Simoncello said:

The fact that it is flooded with natural light, is open plan, is well built, and has eco credentials (air source heat pump, solar panels, passivhaus certification) and is of a design and style that we like is of course all highly beneficial.

Get an energy logger on it, then see what is really happening.

They are not too difficult to make and can be very illuminating.