Identity Renovation of an existing apartment in an building built in 1967. The renovation was designed to maximize insulation, thermal mass, natural ventilation and daylight, and to eliminate the need for mechanical cooling (air condition) in the summer. The renovation was a low budget renovation, aiming - and succeeding - to reduce the operational cost for electricty by 40-60%.

Organization The renovation design changed the existing internal organization of the apartment, moving the master bedroom to the SW (back) side of the apartment. This increased night natural ventilation, winter passive solar heating, and increase of comfort as the SW side faces a quiet side street. In addition, the living / dining / kitchen space was an open space, naturally ventilated and daylit from all directions.

Materials Concrete blocks (thermal mass), 3 cm EPS insulation for walls and floors, sound insulation for floors, and 7 cm rockwool insulation and sheetrock for the ceilings.

'Green' design Given the existing constraints of the apartment (orientations, perimeter walls, plumbing locations, surrounding trees and houses) the design maximized the passive solar heat gain and passive natural ventilation and night cooling of the apartment. As a result, the apartment is passively cooled all summer, and is heated in the winter by portable electric heaters that are used for limited time during the day in the winter. The resulting savings in electricity are 40-60% compared to an almost identical apartment in the same building.

Renovation started and completed in 2010.
The apartment took part in the 'Open Houses' event in Jerusalem in 2011.
Watch construction video: YouTube | Vimeo