SUSTAINABILITY
We are a member of the Green Register and incorporate sustainability into all our projects to varying degrees dependent upon the client’s requirements. Our ethos is to initially heavily insulate the building envelope to reduce the need for heating prior to incorporating any alternative heating technologies. We look to exploit the site conditions with good orientation of a building to allow for passive ventilation and avoid both solar gain and excessive heat loss. Materials are carefully sourced with embodied energy of travel weighed against the embodied energy of a material. 

OFF-SITE CONSTRUCTION
As a practice we are moving to Off-site construction as it works alongside good design whilst maximising cost effectiveness to deliver high quality sustainable buildings. Produced in controlled factory conditions that ensure accurate, quality workmanship, OSC is more predictable than other forms of construction.OSC allows bespoke structures from standard components to become possible. Known as ‘invisible standardisation’ it allows for the fabrication of unusual designs to fit awkward spaces, thereby optimising brownfield land, reducing costs and waste, and enabling rapid assembly on site, and increased health and safety within the project.

OSC avoids the waste arising on site and is often able to reuse post-production waste back into the manufacturing process to ensure that an effective close-loop recycling operation is in place. Currently we are exploring steel modular systems within two separate housing schemes steel framed systems for a cafe , timber frame systems for a family house and won the Wood Awards 2007 Off-site Category for a pair of house fabricated from a solid timber panel system.

COST ANALYSIS
For many of our residential projects we take on the role of Quantity Surveyor as well as Architect allowing us from the initial stages to control the impact of costs on design quality and be aware of a realistic balance. This knowledge is carried into our approach to larger projects when working with QS consultants provideing an insight into their role and creating a unified team for the client.