Extras Duncan Baker Brown: Kevin's House

Date Published:

20/06/2008

RIBA award-winning architect Duncan Baker Brown was the ideal choice to design Kevin's house. His practice, the award winning BBM Sustainable Design, has established a reputation as one of the UK's leading practitioners of low energy, sustainable architecture.

Duncan spoke to Emma Jones and Lucy Searle.

I jumped at the chance to design this house when I knew who the suppliers would be. What's fascinating is that, until this year, we couldn’t have made this house. The materials just didn't exist.

The prefab systems made by Modcell and Facit are a godsend, as an architect, because they allow us to save so much on waste.

Most building sites waste about 15-20% of what they use. Or, if you want to look at it in a different way: one in five of the houses built by a mass house builder will go straight to landfill. Even other prefabs aren't completely environmentally friendly. They tend to use at least some toxic products, so although they are saving on waste at the site, they are building in non-friendly chemicals and plastic. Ever noticed that stuffy feeling in a brand new home? It's because it’s a sealed unit, made with plastics and glues which can contain formaldehyde and other nasties.

The Modcell panels in The House That Kevin Built, on the other hand, use the non-toxic versions of these materials that have emerged over the last decade or so. They don't just help the environment; they insulate the building whilst allowing it to breathe.

Everyone knows about insulation and solar panels, but environmentally friendly building is about efficiency throughout your build. That means firstly, sourcing your supplies locally. One of Modcell's working practices is that none of their materials should travel more than 10 miles, so for The House That Kevin Built, we're using straw from a barn in Essex.

I'm so excited to be doing this project because I've been itching to work with these suppliers. Modcell's products are so beautiful - and so appropriate. It's wonderful to see it all going so well and so quickly. Day two, and already the floors are in and the ground floor walls are up. Tonight we'll see Janet Street Porter help Kevin finish the last part of the walls - it will be thatched, so we'll get to watch Janet having a go at some thatching.

Anyone could make this house. Even you could make this house. You'd only need a crane for a day, to put the panels in. After that, you're on scaffolding, because Facit's second floor ply laminate is so light, you can lift it yourself. You just need two people and a rubber mallet!

Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to seeing the complete form of the house. It's only day two, but by tomorrow it will look like a proper house.