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…
The Barbican Conservatory and Hidden Nature in Brutalist London
# The Barbican Conservatory: Finding Eden in London’s Concrete Jungle I remember the first time someone told me there was a tropical rainforest hidden inside the Barbican Centre. I was…
Why Recycled Steel Is One of the Most Sustainable Structural Materials
# Why Recycled Steel Is One of the Most Sustainable Structural Materials I’ve been in countless meetings where the architect presents their “sustainable” design featuring timber from questionable sources, exotic…
Rammed Earth Walls and the Ancient Technique Making a Comeback
I first encountered rammed earth walls on a project in Devon three years ago. The client had this gorgeous 18th century cottage with a crumbling stone extension that needed replacing,…
What Building Regulations Apply to Straw Bale Construction in the UK
# What Building Regulations Apply to Straw Bale Construction in the UK I’ll be honest, when I first started looking into straw bale construction about eight years ago, I assumed…
How Mycelium Insulation Is Grown From Mushrooms Not Manufactured
I bought my first house in 2004 and immediately started ripping out walls to add proper insulation. Standard stuff, you know? Fibreglass rolls, rigid foam boards, the usual suspects. Spent…
How to Design a Biophilic Home on Any Budget
# How to Design a Biophilic Home on Any Budget ## TL;DR: Start Here > **Three foundational steps to get started:** > 1. **Maximise your natural light** by cleaning windows,…
Lodenareal Innsbruck and Why Austria Keeps Leading Passive House Innovation
I’ve spent fifteen years managing commercial building systems before moving into sustainability consultancy, and I can tell you this: when procurement teams start asking me about passive house standards for…
Belfasts First Passive House Bungalow and What It Cost to Build
# Belfast’s First Passive House Bungalow and What It Cost to Build I’ve been following the passive house movement for years, watching it slowly creep across Europe and wondering when…
Katowice Passive Office and Low Energy Design in a Cold Climate
Here’s the thing about passive buildings in Poland: most people think they’re a nice idea that might work in Germany’s mild climate, but surely not in the industrial heartland of…