A 180㎡Coastal Residence Designed for Quiet, Healthy Living

Project Overview

This project is a 180㎡detached island villa located in southeastern China, designed to deliver a healthy and energy-efficient indoor environment through MENRED’sWuheng indoor climate system.

The villa integrates radiant cooling ceilings, hydronic floor heating, energy recovery ventilation, and rooftop solar power, creating a residential space where comfort is achieved without drafts, visible air-conditioning terminals, or mechanical noise.

Unlike conventional air-conditioning systems that rely on strong air circulation, this house uses radiant temperature control and controlled fresh air ventilationto maintain stable indoor environmental conditions.

The result is an indoor environment that is quiet, clean, and thermally stable throughout the year.

Climate Context

The villa is located insoutheastern coastal China, a region characterized by:

• Hot and humid summers
• Damp and mild winters
• High annual humidity levels
  

Such climate conditions traditionally require strong cooling and dehumidification from conventional HVAC systems. In this project, however, comfort is achieved through a combination ofradiant cooling, humidity-controlled fresh air, and high-performance building envelope upgrades, significantly improving indoor environmental stability.

7H Design Principles

The project follows a design philosophy known as 7H Design, which focuses on long-term indoor comfort, architectural integration, and building durability.

Heritage – Long-Life Building Systems

The house eliminates traditional fan coil units and indoor mechanical equipment.

All major systems are installed in adedicated equipment room, ensuring that maintenance can be performed without entering living spaces. Water pipes, air ducts, and electrical systems are designed with lifespans comparable to the building itself, avoiding the need to dismantle interior finishes during equipment replacement.

Harmony – Invisible Building Services

The system design follows the principle that mechanical systems should remain visually unobtrusive.

Ultra-slim air outlets and hidden air distribution allow ceilings and walls to remain visually clean. Residents control the indoor climate throughtablet or mobile applications, supporting a minimalist architectural aesthetic.

Health – Radiant Cooling without Drafts

Cooling in summer is provided by MENRED radiant ceiling panels, with a total installed area of 83㎡ across the villa.

Radiant cooling creates a more natural indoor environment compared with traditional air-conditioning systems:

• No direct cold air blowing on occupants
• Horizontal temperature difference less than 1°C per meter
• No condensation or dripping water
• No dust accumulation inside fan coil units
  

This approach significantly improves indoor comfort while reducing common health complaints associated with conventional air-conditioning.

Hush – Ultra-Quiet Living Environment

Acoustic comfort is a central design goal.

Bedrooms containno rotating mechanical equipment, eliminating the typical noise generated by fan motors and air-conditioning terminals. Air ducts and outlets are designed with acoustic optimization to ensure extremely quiet airflow.

The result is a calm and silent indoor environment, particularly beneficial for nighttime comfort.

HEPA-Fresh – Energy and Humidity Recovery Ventilation

The villa is equipped with two ERV Ventilators (T6-360) with Isothermal dehumidification, each providing 360 m³/h airflow with total heat and humidity recovery.

These systems perform continuous indoor air replacement while recovering energy from exhaust air.

Key benefits include:

• Recovery of both temperature and humidity from outgoing air
• Reduced cooling and dehumidification loads on the HVAC system
• Stable indoor humidity levels
• Continuous supply of fresh air to maintain healthy oxygen levels
  

Airflow is carefully organized:

• Fresh air is supplied at floor level
• Centralized return air improves airflow organization
• Bedrooms maintain slight positive pressure
• Bathrooms use smart negative pressure exhaust systems with humidity and odor sensors
  

Exhaust air from the first floor is also used tocontrol humidity in storage spaces, preventing mold growth in humid coastal climates.

Hazard-Free – Safe System Design

For safety and long-term reliability,refrigerant lines are not allowed inside living spaces.

The indoor climate system relies onwater-based radiant distribution, while refrigerant-based equipment remains outside occupied areas. This design improves safety while reducing potential maintenance risks.

Heat-Shield – Building Envelope Upgrade

The project includes improvements to the building envelope to reduce energy demand and improve thermal stability.

Key upgrades include:

• Carbon-based insulation boards applied to exterior walls
• 3 cm wall insulation and 6 cm roof insulation
• High-performance passive windows (PH126) with U-value 0.8 W/m²·K
• Triple-glazed aluminum-clad timber windows
  

These measures improve summer heat protection, winter insulation, airtightness, and acoustic performance.

Radiant Cooling and Heating System

The villa combines radiant ceiling cooling and hydronic floor heating to maintain stable indoor temperatures throughout the year.

Cooling is delivered through 83㎡of MENRED radiant ceiling panels, while winter heating is provided by the floor heating system.

The system is powered by an 8 kW heat pump, designed to match the building’s reduced thermal load of approximately 28 W/m².

Key features include:

• Ultra-low frequency operation (10 Hz)
• Multi-stage noise reduction
• Magnetic zero-pressure-loss filtration
• High energy efficiency performance
  

This low-energy design allows the system to operate quietly while maintaining stable indoor conditions.

Solar Energy and Energy Storage

To further reduce operational energy consumption, the villa integratessolar photovoltaic generation with battery storage.

System configuration includes:

• 42㎡ rooftop photovoltaic panels
• Installed generation capacity of 9.56 kW
• 6 kW inverter
• 12 kWh battery storage
  

Stored energy supports:

• Operation of the Wuheng indoor climate system (approximately 4 kW load)
• Elevator operation (2 kW)
• Backup supply for household appliances
  

This configuration allowshigh daytime self-consumption of solar energy while storing surplus electricity for evening use.

Invisible Technology, Visible Comfort

One of the most distinctive features of this villa is that no mechanical equipment is installed inside living spaces.

Only water pipes, air ducts, and electrical wiring remain within the interior structure. All mechanical equipment is located in a dedicated equipment room.

This approach ensures:

• No fan coil units
• No maintenance openings in ceilings
• No refrigerant pipes indoors
• No drafts or airflow noise
  

The building envelope itself becomes anactive thermal interface, while the ventilation system maintains fresh and healthy indoor air.

A Coastal Example of Wuheng Indoor Climate Design

This island villa demonstrates how the Wuheng indoor climate systemcan support a new generation of residential design focused on healthy living and architectural clarity.

By combining radiant cooling, energy recovery ventilation, building envelope optimization, and renewable energy, the project achieves a living environment that is:

• Quiet
• Thermally stable
• Healthy
• Energy efficient