| In common with other building consultants the environmental agenda has been familiar to us for some time and has grown in significance through changes in the Building Regulations, energy codes and the policy of central government. Architecturally this provides us with an opportunity to develop smarter buildings that honestly express something of their design and composition. We embrace this opportunity not simply because it contributes to a low-carbon economy but because it plainly makes sense and enables greater energy security for all. We also recognise that existing buildings pose a far greater challenge to energy conservation than new buildings and we have recently completed a number of retro-fit projects to dated and poorly constructed residential properties. | | In the education, community and care sectors we have employed initiatives including solar generation, heat pumps and heat recovery systems alongside green roofs, passive ventilation and rainwater harvesting. We adopt a low-tech approach to building systems and see factors such as high levels of insulation, air-tightness and prefabrication as having a decisive impact on building performance, energy consumption and waste. |
