KEBONY CLADDING
expose the smallest surface
possible to the outdoor air and
thus reduces heat loss. Large
windows around the perimeter
of the building allow lots of
natural light to illuminate the
property throughout the day
and also help heat the building.
Every window is custom made
to retain twice as much heat
as normal windows and the air
circulating through the house
is kept at a steady temperature
by a two stage heat exchanger
which passes the air through a
ground based water heater then
a post-heater. This two stage
process efficiently warms the
air in winter to a temperature of
18.5°C – 20.5°C and cools it in
summer so the air circulating is
16°C - 17°C.
CREDITS
All credits: Kebony
Alongside these high-tech
elements is the widespread
use of natural, environmentally
friendly construction materials.
Recycled paper and glass are
used throughout the structure
and the whole house is built
on a wooden frame with
Kebony cladding. Kebony is a
modified softwood that acts
as a sustainable alternative to
tropical hardwood.
Developed in Norway, the
Kebony technology is an
environmentally friendly,
patented process, which
enhances the properties of fast
growing sustainable softwood
with a bio-based liquid. By
impregnating the wood with
furfuryl alcohol, the wood’s cell
wall is polymerised resulting
in greatly improved durability
and dimensional stability.
Kebony therefore offers the
performance qualities of a
tropical hardwood, such as
teak or mahogany, without the
environmental damage.
The balancing of modern and
natural elements can also be
55
FEATURE
seen in the external aesthetic
of the house which interweaves
beautiful Kebony cladding with
striking orange panels around
the windows. The colour of
Kebony wood mellows over
time from a rich brown to a
silver grey patina, giving the
whole structure a quiet, natural
look, while the contrasting
orange panels emulates the
warmth and comfort emanating
from the interior. The Kebony
cladding helps the passive
house to complement its
natural surroundings, blending
in with the rocky landscape,
while also offering fantastic
protection from the cold
weather.
Simone Kreutzer, developer
of Villa Circuitus, commented
“We have a passion for making
sustainable homes and so
we needed to ensure that
every element of the house
was responsibly sourced. The
solar panelled balustrade, the
recycled insulation and the
striking Kebony cladding all
help to realise our vision of a
truly sustainable eco-home.”
Per Thyberg, Country Manager
Sweden at Kebony said: “We
at Kebony feel excited to be
part of Simone and Tommy’s
innovative design. Now the Villa
is complete it looks stunning,
has a fantastic open plan layout
and sets a new watermark for
sustainability. We hope to be
involved in many more projects
of this quality in the future.”