The Sustainability Sessions were a series of talks in 2021 devised to explore aspects of sustainability in the built environment. The first series celebrated retrofit projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions while giving existing buildings new life.
About the Moonshine retrofit
Moonshine is a house built in 1786 near Bath, UK, that was originally a schoolhouse for a large country house nearby. It was extended originally in 2002 by Invisible Studio as one of the practice’s first buildings. Practice principal Piers Taylor has lived in the house with his family since 2002, and in the intervening period built various other projects including the practice’s studio in the 100 acre woodland that surrounds the house and which Taylor manages alongside the practice. Taylor self built the original extension, having to carry everything 600 metres along a steep woodland track before the house had vehicular access.
I spoke to Piers Taylor about the extensive remodelling of the house to achieve exceptional levels of insulation, airtightness and autonomy. This involved leaving the structural timber frame but removing and replacing floors, walls, roof and glazing.
