Energy-conscious detached house, Pécs

Architect: ifj. Istvan Kistelegdi 
Text and photos: Bálint Botzheim 

The energy-conscious detached house was born as the conversion of a cubic prefab block of flats built back in the 1970s as a series of terraced houses which were then more or less updated or converted. Its forms and configuration takes advantage of the potentials its location offers. An example of this is the backbone of the roof which is built on an east-west axis, which also turns into a design component beyond its functionality. This is how the roof surface facing south was created, which is ideal with regard to the positioning of solar panels. An essential component of the operation of the building is the centrally placed staircase-light chimney core which has a variety of functions. On the one hand, it conjures light into the open plan kitchen-living room unit on the ground floor, whilst making use of the extra heat in wintertime all over the house via the south-facing glass partition, and as a result of the chimney effect, it induces an upward flow of air which facilitates the natural ventillation of the building. The house has been equipped with the most modern technology, which is reinforced by lots of solutions and details ranging from the soil probe to a thermal pump and solar collectors to solar panels. This fully automated system is able to adjust to the weather outside at any time.

• General design: Kistelegdi 2008 Kft.
• Leading architect: ifj. István Kistelegdi 
• Co-architect: Bálint Baranya 
• Fellow architects: Bálint Póth, Domonkos Szilágyi, Gábor Bazsali 
• Interiors: Dóra Lilla Szatlóczki 
• HVAC: Szabolcs Vígh 
• Electrical engineering: ifj. Gyula Sas 
• Automatic solutions: Gábor Dravecz 
• Main contractor: A. Beaver Kft.