The High Line New York and How Abandoned Rail Became Green Infrastructure
I still remember the first time I walked the High Line in 2010, a year after the first section opened. I was researching adaptive reuse projects for my thesis, expecting…
The Autonomous House Southwell and Britains Original Off Grid Experiment
I first heard about the Autonomous House in Southwell during a particularly grim London winter, scrolling through research papers while my own heating bills climbed toward terrifying heights. Here was…
How Long Does a Passive House Take to Build Compared to a Standard Home
# How Long Does a Passive House Take to Build Compared to a Standard Home Building a Passivhaus doesn’t just mean thicker insulation and triple-glazed windows. It means accepting that…
Water Features for Indoor Spaces and What Works in a UK Climate
# Water Features for Indoor Spaces and What Works in a UK Climate I’ve been fascinated by water features in homes for years, but I’ll be honest: after researching the…
Findhorn Ecovillage Scotland and Decades of Sustainable Community Living
I remember the first time someone told me about Findhorn Ecovillage. A colleague mentioned a Scottish community that had been running successfully on renewable energy and ecological principles for decades.…
How to Brief an Architect on Biophilic Design Principles
# How to Brief an Architect on Biophilic Design Principles You’ve decided to work with an architect and you want biophilic design integrated into your project. Excellent choice, but here’s…
How to Design a Biophilic Home Office That Improves Focus and Reduces Fatigue
# How to Design a Biophilic Home Office That Improves Focus and Reduces Fatigue Working from home has fundamentally changed how we think about productivity and wellbeing. After spending years…
How to Find a Structural Engineer Who Understands Natural Materials
# How to Find a Structural Engineer Who Understands Natural Materials When you’re planning a build with hemp lime, timber frame construction, or cob walls, finding the right structural engineer…
How to Reduce Embodied Carbon When Replacing Kitchens and Bathrooms
# How to Reduce Embodied Carbon When Replacing Kitchens and Bathrooms When I first calculated the embodied carbon in a typical kitchen replacement, the numbers were staggering. A standard mid-range…
Low Cost Ways to Reduce Heat Loss Through Windows Without Replacing Them
# Low Cost Ways to Reduce Heat Loss Through Windows Without Replacing Them You know that bone-deep cold when you’re sitting near a window in winter, even with the heating…