We offer services both in Retrofit and Passivhaus solutions to meet the specific requirements of your project, address climate challenge and lower your impact on it.
As Chartered Architects and Passivhaus Designers, we aim to rise to the challenge of climate change through the considered application of materials, coupled with a comprehensive understanding of building design to reduce our impact and respond positively to our environment.
Through the re-use and re-visioning of existing building stock we aim to produce better performing buildings that reduce operational carbon and improve quality of life.
Our Services
Retro-fit
Retro-fit is an important method of achieving the governments goal of Net Zero by 2050, it involves the re-use of existing buildings to make them more efficient and reduce the performance gap between expected and actual performance, whilst having the desirable benefit of retaining embodied carbon tied up in existing building materials.
Through enhancements to the existing building, coupled with modern methods of ventilation and heat recovery we aim to reduce overall running costs of your project, improve the internal environment and reduce your carbon foot print.
Using the guidance set out in PAS 2035:2023 we will look to breathe new life into your existing building.
EnerPHit
Like Retro-fit, EnerPHit utilizes the existing building fabric to retain the embodied carbon in a building. EnerPHit is the Passivehaus standard for retro-fit projects and offers a slightly relaxed version of Passivhaus where meeting the full standard is not possible but where similar outcomes are desired.
Elements which have been predefined, such as building orientation and form factor are allowed for and relaxations in the criteria are applied, the result is a project that will perform to a higher standard than many new build properties.
PassivHaus
Passivhaus is a world leading energy efficiency & thermal performance standard which adopts a fabric first approach to building design. It aims to achieve a balanced approach to energy consumption which reduces running costs, whilst providing a healthy internal environment with optimal daylighting, acoustics and indoor air quality standards.
This is tested through the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) a data modelling system using information extracted from the design, which allows us to analyse performance indicators such as, heat loss and solar gains to predict & test how the design will perform.
The design of the project is reviewed through out the process from drawing board to building site by independent certifiers to make sure that the standard is achieved in accordance with the Passivhaus trust
This process lets us create a balanced model of the project and provide confidence that the design will perform as intended. The Passivhaus standard can be applied to all building types and sizes making it a universal and flexible system for achieving low carbon building design.
Thermal
Modelling
An important element of both Retro-fit, Enerphit & Passivhaus is limiting thermal bridges that can occur in construction. Thermal bridges are elements of construction that penetrate the line of insulation between external & internal spaces, they allow heat to pass through them to the atmosphere reducing the energy performance of the building as a whole.
In new building passivhaus projects thermal bridges will be limited as far as possible but in existing buildings it is often unavoidable, therefore it is crucial to understand how these thermal bridges work and how much energy is lost through them so that a building can be accurately modelled and heat losses compensated for.
We are pleased to offer this analysis as part of our service
FAQs
Why build to the Passivhaus standard and not Building Regulations?
Whilst providing a comprehensive response to reducing carbon emissions and responding to climate emergency building to the Passivhaus standard has many other ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ benefits
Among the ‘hard’ benefits are the reduction in annual energy bills and lower maintenance cost as mentioned above whilst the ‘soft’ benefits include a more productive environment due to the requirements for fresh filtered air, acoustic enhancements and day lighting, these in turn can lead to improvements to health and well being.
In schools it has been shown to reduce absenteeism, In offices it increases productivity , whilst for landlords it can lead to improved retention of tenants.
All of which feeds into the wider social fabric reducing the strain on healthcare systems, improving learning outcomes, and is aligned with the governments 2050 Net Zero policy.
What is a U-value
A U-value is a way to measure the amount of thermal radiation that passes through a building element over a specific area, whether this be a wall, floor slab, roof or window. The smaller the U-value the better the elements performance. Currently Part L of the approved documents (building regulations) requires a U-value of 0.26 W/m2K whereas Passivhaus requires a U-value between the ranges of 0.10 to 0.15 W/m2K.
How much does a Passivhaus Cost?
Analysis provided by the Passivhaus trust shows that building to the Passivhaus standard adds an additional 8% of the total construction cost on to the project, this is predicted to fall to 4% as the standard is adopted more widely
How much can a Passivhaus or Retro-fit save me?
Studies undertaken by the Passivhaus Trust have demonstrated that a new build 90m2 home built to the Passivhaus standard can save as much as 30% annually when compared to a Building regulations standard home built to the same size
A Retro-fit property with an existing EPC in band D could save up to £380 annually on energy costs due to the reduction in the performance gap.
For larger projects these savings can move tenants out of fuel poverty and reduce rent arrears.
