Sustainability is about more than your carbon footprint.
It means designing in a way that works for your business, your people, and the planet.
We aim to support innovative, sustainable development by applying our 5 Principles for Good Growth.
It’s estimated that 40-50% of global landfill waste is from construction.
Whether retrofitting, masterplanning, or designing for flexibility and multiple uses, we seek out creative ways to repurpose and reimagine existing buildings, spaces, and materials.
Applying circular-economy principles to the built-environment means resource-efficient, economic designs and ensures that what we design now will remain relevant in the future.
Principle #1
Design for Adaptability.
With an average person spending just 8% of their time outside, the built environment has a key role to play in supporting wellbeing that touches all our senses - from indoor air-quality to daylighting, acoustics to thermal comfort.
Whether we’re optimising buildings for natural light, or specifying natural, non-toxic building products, we bring a user-centred perspective to sustainability to ensure that human factors aren’t overlooked.
Principle #2
Design for Wellbeing.
The construction sector accounts for nearly half of all GHG emissions in the UK.
To decarbonise our economies its essential we consider architecture’s impact. Both it’s embodied carbon - of materials, transport, and construction methods - and life-time energy use.
Better performing buildings also mean reduced energy bills and maintenance costs, so we optimise buildings to suit their sites, choose materials carefully, and design for a high fabric energy-efficiency helping clients target an exemplary standard a step ahead of the regulatory landscape.
Principle #3
Low Carbon Design.
Choosing sustainable materials requires looking beyond the surface to understand factors such as where they are sourced, how they are produced and assembled, their durability and maintenance requirements, and more. We establish a sustainable construction strategy for each project.
Whether that’s working with locally sourced products or craftspeople, detailing in a way that allows disassembly and reuse, or finding creative ways to recycle and salvage, its possible to bring unique identity and concept to every design through thoughtful material expression.
Principle #4
Sustainable Materials.
WELL, WLC, SBEM, LCA, SBCA. It’s easy to get lost in the acronyms, but taking an empirical, evidence-based approach is an essential part of responsible design.
For first-timers, knowing how to define, measure and report on impact can seem a daunting task, but it needn’t be. We help you navigate standards, set relevant goals and consider both the social and environmental impact of a project on terms that are important to your stakeholders.
Principle #5
Make the Impact Count.