We are unconventional engineers: we think creatively, delight in innovation, and love a blank sheet of paper
We regularly get out the sketch pens and scribble ideas, but we also love a spreadsheet or complex finite element model. We approach each project with fresh perspectives, while bringing learning from years of challenging projects.
While we do enjoy a graph as much as the next engineer, we work hard to be simple, accurate and clear in all our communication, focusing on the heart of the issue, and enabling optimised decision making. Buildings are complex, but vital to human wellbeing. We aim to make them exceptional, and the decisions that lead to this outcome as simple as possible.
Our services
Our work divides into the strategic: big picture, creative, seeing past the immediate to the long term – and the forensic: detailed, careful and methodical.
We believe that both are required to create a beyond zero carbon built environment that delights and delivers into a post-climate change future.
Our focus is on the use of Passivhaus and WLC tools to deliver our vision beyond carbon emissions. We use this approach at the strategic level to guide clients to best decision making and brief setting.
STRATEGIC SERVICES
RIBA Stages 0-2
Sustainability is complex: we bring technical wisdom to brief setting, with clear visual presentation and facilitated workshops with key stakeholders to get to the right brief for your project, and the right sustainability targets to lead to best outcomes.
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Digital prototyping: we provide innovative, early-stage digital prototyping to understand overshadowing, solar access, mitigate overheating potential and optimise Passivhaus Heat Loss Form Factor (HLFF): these steps help guide early architectural massing and site planning to provide best-value outcomes later in the design process.
Creating route-maps for decarbonisation: carbon masterplans can be for single buildings or complex heritage sites with multiple buildings, and anything in between. Each plan is carefully crafted to suit client budget and timescales, and rooted in the best available technical wisdom. Future energy markets and grid decarbonisation are carefully evaluated to guide evidence-based decision making. Lowest carbon solution over 60, 100 or 200 years? Our analysis will guide you.
Is the Passivhaus standard right for your new build or retrofit project? We will dispel myths and help establish both the technical and financial viability of Passivhaus. We use an agile approach and clear communication to help facilitate rapid decision making.
Strategic decisions in whole-life carbon: these can include whether to demolish or retain existing structures, what level of new construction to consider, and with what overall materials strategy. Our early advice simplifies this complex area of building procurement, enabling informed decision making and target setting.
FORENSIC SERVICES
RIBA Stages 2-7
We continue to use Passivhaus and WLC tools in the detail, to deliver our vision beyond carbon emissions. Passivhaus is a system of tools, standards and processes that enables high quality and precision in building design, backed up by the detail of WLC analysis, this enables us to help clients deliver best and leading practice.
We have extensive experience of large-scale and complex Passivhaus buildings, and use this acquired technical wisdom to support the delivery of Passivhaus on the most demanding projects.
We offer full concept, technical and certification design support within a multi-disciplinary team, including energy modelling and reporting, thermal bridge optimisation and detailing, as well as site duties.
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Whole-life carbon evaluations: Conducting detailed, thorough evaluations throughout design development to ensure our best carbon outcomes, and then contributing to contractor procurement to deliver on the design intent.
Retrofit projects: these are complex and require attention to detail. Using the Passivhaus approach we ensure that interventions into existing buildings are robust, buildable and sensitive to existing architecture, place and heritage value.
WELL Building Standard: this delivers best-in-class human health and wellbeing outcomes – our in-house tools align with the Institute guidelines and ensure you always know how your project is progressing and certification levels you can target
Specialist building physics services: we offer a range of specialist building physics services to ensure each project delivers at the highest level. These include parametric optimisation of building facades for natural daylight, winter solar gains and summer shading, as well as natural ventilation design, moisture analysis and architectural detail optimisation to avoid thermal bridges and create airtight junctions
Training: we offer extensive training options to both designers and constructors, including a range of CPD sessions and toolbox talks
Passivhaus Certification: this is the gold standard for energy efficiency and thermal comfort. Our service is proactive, with clear communication to both the deliver team and client team, and accurate tracking of progress towards goals.
