This brick house was built in the suburbs north of Copenhagen in 1928. The Dreyer-Sondergaard family bought it in 2010. Located on a populated street and surrounded by a large garden with fruit trees, the house turned out to be a great place for a young family with two children, three and six years old.
But the building had drawbacks: the bedrooms on the ground floor were dark, the bathrooms seemed small and dull, the entrance area was completely dilapidated, and the roof needed to be replaced altogether. The family decided to cope with these problems through a large-scale reconstruction, which entailed, in addition to the necessary repairs, a change in the emotional structure of the internal space and - which is also important - the introduction of several energy-saving technologies that reduce the cost of operation without compromising coziness and comfort.
The work took three months; when the first floor was ready, parents and children settled in it and continued to observe the reconstruction "from the inside".
The father of the family, Anders Sondergaard, is a VELUX Email Marketing Officer, and as he began his home renovation, he approached fellow architects from the company who helped plan the correct home renovation.
New roof windows: more light and more space
VELUX architects immediately realized that the reconstruction of the roof would give the building a qualitatively new opportunity. As a result, 12 roof windows (models GGU INTEGRA, GIU and GPU) and 2 light tunnels (model TCF) in the entrance area turned the gloomy and dark building into a comfortable and bright home. “When we first saw the plan of the house and counted the number of windows, everyone was extremely surprised - there were so few of them. The 12 new windows in the bedrooms, in the bathroom and in the staircase area are the perfect solution to the problem,”says Anders Sondergaard. After the reconstruction, the family fully appreciated all the new advantages. “I was so happy to see our bedroom. She's so good! - exclaims the owner of the house Malen Dreyer. The parent's bedroom now has two lower combination skylights and two roof ridge windows. Children's bedroom - 4 combined roof windows at the bottom and two at the top.
Anders Sondergaard likes to say: “In my opinion, dormers in the bedroom are an element of luxury. The house was small for a family of 4 and we all had a little space for everyone. And having all this light and air, we feel as if we are richer."
In the children's room, windows are installed both at the top and at the bottom of the roof - when the children get older, the room will not only be used as a bedroom. “We will convert the room into a full-fledged playroom,” predicts Anders Sondergaard. Malen Dreyer adds that skylights have improved the functionality of many rooms. “The windows have expanded the premises. The small bedroom has become more spacious by 10-20 cm, which means that we can move more freely in it. There is also a little more space in the bathroom."
Rejoicing at the new changes, the family nevertheless feared at first that the large amount of glass would violate the sense of privacy. “I must admit that at first I had the feeling that we were in public view. But very soon we realized that we couldn't see anything from the outside. The neighbors do not see what is happening here, even on the ground floor,”says Malen Dreyer. Now they are glad that they followed the advice of the architects, and so many windows appeared in their house. "You cannot feel the light on plans and blueprints, you cannot imagine what it is until you really encounter it in reality."
Preserve and replenish
The renovation of the Sonergaard-Dreyer house had two goals: to minimize the energy consumption and to use renewable sources for its production.
Skylights and light tunnels provided the house with daylight, which means reduced electricity consumption from turning on artificial lighting fixtures. Sun-protection awnings on the outside of the windows protect the house from overheating in hot weather, and from the inside can reduce heat loss on cool days.
Solar collectors (model CLL) located on the south side of the house heat the water, saving more than 2,600 kW per year.
Microclimate inside the house
These days we spend a lot of time at home, and therefore the microclimate in the interiors is very important. It's not enough just to use daylight and fresh air, it is necessary that they positively influence our emotions, the ability to focus when necessary. The high penetration of sunlight and good ventilation of the premises improves the ability of the immune system to fight bacteria and viruses. Plus, the unimpeded access of sunlight allows us to better sense the cycles of the day, seasonal and weather changes.
Skylights not only let in a lot of daylight and air into the house; ventilation is also better. “Before the windows appeared in a room, the air remained humid for a long time after someone took a shower,” explains Malen Dreyer. "But now all the moisture and dampness evaporate perfectly thanks to the skylights."
The natural light factor KEO is a measure of the available amount of light entering the room. It is expressed as a percentage of the natural light at a certain point inside the room to the outdoor light on a horizontal surface (usually measured in cloudy weather). The higher the KEO, the brighter it is indoors. 2% is considered acceptable, however, a well-lit room is considered when the KEO is 5% or more. The calculation of KEO is carried out using a computer simulation program created by VELUX. The illustrations below show the difference in illumination before and after installing skylights.
Climate control makes it all easy
Solutions that create the right microclimate must not only be effective, but also comfortable and easy to use. Part of the renovation program for the Sonergaard-Dreyer family home is the invisible KRX 100 automatic window control system. Sensors command the windows to close when it starts to rain. “When I need to ventilate the house and open all the windows at the same time, this system is very useful,” explains Anders.
In addition, with the help of automation, the temperature and illumination inside the premises are regulated. Sensors installed in VELUX products protect the house from overheating during the hot season and reduce energy costs, including awnings and other sun protection products. “I like to use the system in the afternoon, when the awnings are lowered and soft dim lighting appears inside the bedroom,” says Malen Dreyer.
Environment
The transformation of an old house is always associated with the fear of disrupting something, bringing disharmony into the combination of the building with its surroundings. In the case of the Dreyer-Sondergaard house, this was avoided due to the precise selection of the variety and shade of the roof color, repeating those of the previous one. “I really appreciate that our roof has elongated, elongated lines. I find it very harmonious,”says Malen Dreyer.
The changes in the house were noticed by the neighbors. “The family from the house across the street even decided to abandon the skylights and install skylights,” says Anders Sondergaard. New windows gave the family a view of the area; parents and children can now easily enjoy the views of the manicured nearby gardens.
