We design buildings to be performative and healthy settings based on the principle that our built environment should help us change our habits and behaviour in order to meet current and future challenges. We are aiming for our practice to reach Carbon-Neutral by the end of the year.

Clear, simple and intelligent initial design decisions are the most effective way of ensuring energy efficient buildings. Good sustainable design can be uplifting and economical -knowledge and creativity are far more effective than a lavish budget.

Our aims

• Reduce the environmental impacts of constructing, refurbishing and operating buildings and facilities.

• Improve the energy and water efficiency of buildings and facilities.

• Reduce the operational costs of buildings and facilities.

• Help provide a healthy internal and external environment to our Clients’ facilities.

• Reduce reliance on non-renewable grid electricity and finite fossil fuels.

• Demonstrate community leadership by adopting and promoting sustainable building design suitable for the region’s current and future climate.

We do this by

• Designing with passive solar considerations (siting, orientation, sun shading) at the forefront of every potential design solution –clear, simple and intelligent initial decisions are the most effective way of ensuring an efficient, sustainable building.

• Maximising the utility of each material or component used so that ongoing maintenance costs (eg repainting) are reduced and on-site wet trades minimised.

• Using local trades, materials and products –this helps the local economy, lessens the environmental impact of freight and can also help control lead times.

• Using materials and components, where possible, that have low embodied energy levels, an accredited sustainable source supply chain and a high recycled content.

• Re-using building structures, elements and components as much as possible, with creative re-purposing and alteration, to preserve the embodied energy in their initial construction and manufacture.

• Designing, where appropriate to budget and location etc, to incorporate rainwater harvesting and re-use (eg WC flushing, laundry use and irrigation), solar-boosted hot water supply and power generation, and stormwater retention and treatment systems.