Passive House Design

We provide expertise in Passive House (Passivhaus) design, creating beautiful buildings with comfortable indoor environments, reduced environmental impact, and long-term cost savings. We are designing the Cliffemount Hotel, the first Passive House hotel in the UK.

Recognised as the gold standard in energy-efficient construction, Passive House minimises energy demand while maintaining optimal comfort. This approach ensures buildings are sustainable and cost-effective throughout their lifespan.

Achieving the Passivhaus Standard in the UK typically involves:

• Precise design modelling with the Passive House Planning Package
• Superior insulation
• High-performance windows with insulated frames
• Airtight construction
• ‘Thermal bridge-free’ construction techniques
• Mechanical ventilation systems with efficient heat recovery

Why Choose Passive House?

Energy Efficiency: Save up to 90% on heating and cooling energy compared to typical buildings, significantly lowering energy bills and environmental impact.

Long-Term Savings: While initial costs may be higher, Passive House buildings offer substantial savings over time due to reduced energy expenses and maintenance.

Future-Proof Design: Built to meet future energy standards, providing peace of mind amid rising energy costs and tighter regulations.

Energy and Environmental Assessment Services

We offer a comprehensive range of energy and environmental assessment services tailored to your project’s needs. Our expertise includes Non-Domestic Energy Assessments Levels 3 and 4, Domestic Energy Assessments, overheating and air quality evaluations, and retrofit assessments.  Our team comprises registered architects, surveyors, and technologists with extensive experience, ensuring every project meets the highest standards of sustainability, compliance, and comfort.

Overheating and Air Quality Assessments

Maintaining comfortable temperatures and high indoor air quality is essential for occupant health and comfort. We conduct assessments to ensure the building design supports BREEAM certification and complies with UK Building Regulations. Our experts will guide you through complex standards and regulations to ensure your building maintains optimal temperatures and air quality from concept to completion. We can assess the following:

• Overheating risk in non-domestic buildings, ensuring comfort during hot weather using three criteria: Hours of Exceedance, Daily Weighted Exceedance, and Upper Limit Temperature.
• Overheating for residential buildings when standard methods are insufficient, offering design flexibility and expert advice for compliance.
• Educational buildings, addressing overheating, ventilation, and air quality to ensure a healthy learning environment and compliance with UK regulations.

Non-Domestic Energy Assessments

Optimising energy efficiency in commercial buildings is crucial for reducing operational costs and meeting regulatory requirements. Our services provide a thorough analysis of your building’s energy performance, helping to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

• Level 3: Ideal for simpler buildings, providing an overview of energy consumption and potential efficiency improvements.
• Level 4: For more complex structures with advanced systems, offering detailed energy performance analysis and covering new builds.

Domestic Energy Assessments

Energy efficiency is vital for homes to reduce bills, improve comfort, and lower environmental impact. We evaluate your property’s energy performance and offer expert recommendations for improvement.

• Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs): Essential for selling or renting properties, our assessments ensure compliance with all regulatory standards.
• Cost Efficiency: Identify key areas for energy savings, reducing expenses while enhancing comfort.
• Environmental Responsibility: Support sustainable living by reducing your home’s carbon footprint.

Retrofit Assessor Services

Retrofitting existing buildings offers significant opportunities for energy improvement. We provide a comprehensive evaluation of your building’s energy performance and suggest targeted enhancements.

• Comprehensive Evaluation: analyse energy usage, insulation, and potential improvements.
• Tailored Retrofit Plans: customised strategies to boost energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and improve comfort.
• Sustainability and Compliance: achieve goals and regulatory compliance, making your building future-proof and eco-friendly.

Contact our team today to explore how we can help you create a building that is efficient, sustainable, and ready for the future.