This is the Integra House

In this new groundbreaking housing project, we prototyped a new kind of home that aimed to provide people with a healthy, affordable and sustainable place to live. Hear Professor Gokay Deveci, architect of Integra House, walk you through the innovations of this new build and how it could improve the provision of energy efficient, sustainable and genuinely affordable housing.

A new truss type that envelopes an entire house

At BE-ST we prototyped and manufactured the Integra House in our Innovation Factory. 

The innovation started by us rethinking how we build a truss and how we could join these prefabricated structural elements to create a single integrated construction system. The new truss type envelopes the entire house and provides a superstructure: floors, walls and the roof all in one. By using these pre-existing structural elements we can more readily create a cost-effective and faster building that is capable of accommodating insulation to the highest levels. This method also reduces site operations and eliminates waste.

Surrounded by insulation

The house's superstructure allows insulation to be pumped into it from wall to roof. We chose to use wood fibre insulation for the Integra House. This renewable and environmentally friendly insulation material was chosen for its breathability, which prevents condensation and mould growth as well as providing low thermal conductivity.

Healthy, happy occupants

This truss structure also allows for open and optimized living spaces that maximize daylight exposure. The connection to its landscape provides more healthy and happy homes for occupants. It allows the opportunity to install large glazing for in its living room, giving it a spacious open feeling that is filled with daylight.

Extremely well insulated, just a wood-burning stove provides sufficient heating for the entire house.