03 Nov 2015

Baufritz – pioneering new homes

Almost 120 years since its foundation, Baufritz continues to lead the way in pioneering timber frame construction and technology.

Throughout its long history as a family-owned company, Baufritz is proud of its record of pushing the envelope in timber frame construction and home technology. Thanks to these efforts, Baufritz homes offer customers exceptional standards in terms of energy efficiency, healthy living environments and state-of-the-art technology that can accommodate the demands of modern living.

For many years, Baufritz has developed a series of show homes where it can not only offer customers a real example of what a Baufritz home can look and feel like, but also provide a test bed for new construction techniques and technology before they are rolled out for the benefit of customers in the UK and around Europe.

The Bauzentrum Poing near Munich is one of Germany’s largest homes exhibitions, and features over 55 show houses by a range of housebuilding companies. Around 80,000 people visit every year, and it is here that Baufritz has recently completed Alpenchic - a remarkable new show home for customers to experience.

Alpenchic advances Baufritz’s expertise in environmental efficiency, and is the first home in Germany that generates its own electricity and heat from hydrogen. The energy generated from its state of the art Viessman hydrogen fuel cell heater, in conjunction with a wind turbine and photovoltaic system, is used to power and heat the house, with surpluses either stored by batteries or fed into the public electricity grid. At Alpenchic, Baufritz is demonstrating how this remarkable new technology can work in a domestic setting, offering customers additional choice alongside its well-established range of PV and air or ground source heat pumps.

As a company that believes firmly in transparency, Baufritz submits its environmental and energy performance claims to stringent and independently verified testing regimes. Alpenchic is the first single family house in Germany with Minergie-Eco certification: a rigorous set of standards which recognize outstanding energy performance and ecological credentials. The Minergie-Eco certification process covers firstly health: only recognizing those houses which can demonstrate a healthy environment with plentiful natural light, protection against noise, and high quality ambient air. It also addresses building ecology, demanding low embodied energy, the use of responsible materials and construction processes, and building design that can offer flexibility so a house can adapt to its occupants’ needs over time.

Alpenchic is also great example of Baufritz’s attention to design detail. Designed as a contemporary and homely interpretation of an Alpine chalet, it features traditional elements such as large roof overhangs and shingle facades alongside contemporary flourishes including double height glazing on the main façade. Inside, the house is filled with light, and an open-plan layout creates attractive sightlines throughout the house. Ash and limestone are used for flooring, while knot-free cladding to walls and ceilings continues the contemporary Alpine theme. These natural and local raw materials offer a contrasting backdrop for the house’s contemporary fixtures and fittings.

Whatever the style, Baufritz will always offer customers homeliness alongside healthy environments and energy efficiency. The company’s pioneering work gives UK customers choice and an amazing range benefits, and further information on Baufritz’s pioneering homes is available at the Baufritz UK website: www.baufritz.com/uk.

[email protected]     www.baufritz.com/uk      01223 235632

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