Mains of Branshogle, Stirlingshire
At Mains of Branshogle in Stirlingshire two farm cottages were ecologically extended and remodelled. To benefit from passive solar gain and to use the massive stone external walls as a heat sink, a sun porch runs the entire length of the south elevation. The thermal mass potential of the existing perimeter walls has been exploited by insulating the masonry on the outside face, using sheep's wool quilt overlaid with reed lath and finished with soft lime plaster, thereby retaining internally-generated heat within the building fabric.
Stone from a derelict barn was salvaged to create the plinth courses within its footprint of the new extension. The main frame is a pegged green oak assembly using locally felled timbers, infilled with a "breathing wall" made up of heavily insulated timber panels externally clad with untreated larch boarding and lined internally with unfired clay bricks. This reverses the "conventional" timber frame construction and creates more thermal mass on the inside of the structure. Solar panels and a wood burning stove provide heat to the underfloor and radiator heating systems. Waste goes to a worm composting sewage system, also providing compost for the garden.
With volunteer help a straw bale donkey house and garage were constructed and finished with lime harling and limewash.
