Buildings are responsible for about 45% of the carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) emissions in the UK, and consequently the solution has to be sustainable construction/buildings. Of course, getting the message across is still not easy – the government has no clear strategy and most builders don’t understand air-tightness – but a number of architectural practices are now working hard to push sustainability into the public domain; none more so than London-based firm Venner: Lucas Architects.
With considerable experience of delivering good, low energy, low and zero carbon sustainable buildings, both new build and refurbishments, Venner: Lucas has achieved an impressive 80% reduction in carbon emissions. Indeed, working on residential and commercial projects, the practice is passionate about the principles of sustainability, whilst being pragmatic in finding design solutions within the prevailing constraints of each project: solutions that are appropriate for each client and their budget, meeting their needs and exceed their expectations.
One project that has received many plaudits is Sunnybank, a new family home in the Scottish Borders that has been designed to meet PassivHaus standards of energy efficiency whilst achieving as low an environmental impact as possible.
Completed in 2010, the building sits on a south-facing hillside. The plan is regular with minimal surface area for heat loss, with all main rooms south facing to optimise daylight and views over the countryside. The lower ground floor is the main living space, designed to form a direct relationship with the garden.
Venner: Lucas used the PassivHaus planning package (PHPP) to achieve an optimum balance between thermal insulation and solar gain. The electrical demand minimised and photovoltaic-thermal micro-generation and mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) meets the total annual electrical and thermal demand. Disciplined construction detail and on-site management was essential to achieve the high build quality required to meet the PassivHaus standard.
We have all become aware of global warming in recent years, but the time has now come to not only think globally, but act locally. To find out more, visit www.vennerlucas.co.uk.
