Sustainable Building
We believe that it is important to design buildings which do not only help to reduce the human impact upon the planet, indeed they should aim to provide a positive impact on people and the environment for years to come. Not only will these projects be better for the planet, but they will be less expensive to heat, easier to operate, healthier, and more comfortable for the occupants than other, less environmentally friendly buildings.
We take this responsibility seriously and we hope that as architects, we can guide the client through the construction process, helping them to make more sustainable design decisions and delivering projects with high environmental standards and credentials.
How do we design sustainably?
Our strategy for sustainability varies from project to project and can depend upon the site, context, aims and aspirations for the scheme. In some cases there might be a focus on energy efficiency, where we would look to adopt passive house principles such as high levels of insulation, “airtightness”, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery in order to reduce the heat loss from the building. In other cases we might focus on the embodied energy of the scheme, analysing the sources and manufacturing methods and lifecycle costs of particular materials which might be used. Other strategies might include the reduction of waste by using materials which have been reclaimed or could be reused in the future.
Our projects within the portfolio of eco-buildings may heavily adopt one of these strategies or touch upon all of them to a greater or lesser extent. There is no one silver bullet for the environmental crisis, but we aim to approach the problem holistically and review which method might be appropriate on a case by case basis.
I am a member of the Association for Environmentally Concious Building.
What is the AECB? 🡪
How can I become more sustainable to save money on my bills?
As energy prices continue to rise, we are all thinking more carefully about how we consume energy in our homes. We often delay turning on the heating at home during autumn/winter which not only decreases our comfort levels but could also lead to issues such as increased condensation, black mould, and other problems that may affect the building fabric and create long term damage.
It can be difficult for homeowners to know what areas of the home are best upgraded and what the expected benefit, feasibility, and approximate cost could be. To help with this, we offer a sustainability assessment as part of our services which identifies areas of the home that could be improved to offer an enhanced level of comfort and energy efficiency.
During our site survey, we will produce a detailed report highlighting what is currently in place, and options for improvement and what the expected benefit, feasibility, and approximate cost could be. The report is broken down into two main key strategies:
Fabric First Approach
Designing to make dwellings much more comfortable and easier to heat in winter and cooler in summer, whilst providing a healthy indoor environment. Upgrading the building fabric such as walls, floors, roofs, windows, doors, etc. will minimise energy loss and maximise energy efficiency. Some of the topics in this insulation, airtightness, ventilation, passive design
Energy Focused Approach
Assessing the existing mechanical appliances within the home and looking to upgrade these appliances and/or implementing new strategies for heating, cooling, ventilation, etc. Some of the topics include heating, cooling, lighting, mechanical ventilation, water usage, and on-site energy generation.
