Welcome to the Architecture and the Environment
We have pulled together all the guides and information from the website that we think will be useful to anyone looking to gain a better understanding of the architecture and the environment.
Some of these articles have a pdf version you can download, and save to your computer for easy reference later on.
We hope you find these useful as you navigate your design process!
Building Fabric Series
The performance of a building starts with the materials, details and systems that make up its fabric. This series explores key principles including insulation, airtightness, thermal performance and thermal mass, helping you understand how design decisions influence comfort, efficiency and overall building performance.
Thermal performance is a key part of creating comfortable, energy-efficient buildings, but concepts like heat loss, U-values and building fabric can often feel difficult to navigate. This guide breaks down the fundamentals and explains how design decisions influence comfort, energy use and overall building performance.
Selecting insulation is about more than simply choosing a material with good performance. Here we look at different insulation options, their properties and practical considerations, helping you understand how material choices contribute to warmer, more efficient buildings.
The way a building responds to sunlight can have a significant impact on comfort and energy performance. This article explains sun paths, solar gain and orientation, providing a clearer understanding of how daylight and solar design decisions shape a building.
A well-designed building needs to consider how people experience spaces as well as how they look and perform. In this guide, we introduce the principles of sound insulation and explain how materials, construction methods and design choices affect acoustic comfort.
Airtightness is an important consideration in improving energy efficiency and maintaining comfortable internal conditions. In this post, we explain the role of air leakage, why careful detailing matters and how airtight construction can support better building performance.
Materials that absorb and release heat can play an important role in regulating internal temperatures. This article explores how thermal mass works and how it can be used as part of a considered approach to environmental design.
Passivhaus Series
Passivhaus is a performance-based approach to design that focuses on comfort, energy efficiency and careful consideration of building physics. This series introduces the key concepts behind the standard, helping you understand how Passivhaus principles can be applied to create better-performing buildings.
Passivhaus is an approach to building design that focuses on comfort, energy efficiency and careful control of building performance. This guide introduces the key principles behind the standard and explains how they influence the way buildings are designed.
Passivhaus involves a detailed approach to building physics, with specific performance targets and design considerations. This blog post simplifies the core ideas, helping you understand how Passivhaus principles create comfortable, low-energy buildings.
Natural Material Series
Natural materials are becoming an increasingly important part of conversations around sustainable construction. This series explores a range of natural building materials, looking at their properties, applications and how they can contribute to more thoughtful and environmentally considered approaches to design.
Natural materials are becoming an increasingly important part of sustainable construction. This article introduces a range of materials, exploring their characteristics, uses and how they can support more thoughtful approaches to building design.
Rammed earth is a traditional construction method that is being reconsidered for modern sustainable projects. In this guide, we explain how rammed earth construction works, where it can be used and the key factors to consider when specifying this material.
Hemp is a natural material with growing interest within sustainable construction. This blog post looks at its properties, applications and potential role in creating lower-impact building solutions.
Sheep’s wool is a natural insulation material with distinct environmental and performance characteristics. This article explains how it works, where it can be used and why natural insulation options are becoming increasingly relevant.
Straw bale construction provides an alternative approach to using natural materials in buildings. In this guide we cover how straw bale systems are assembled, their benefits and the practical considerations involved.
Cork is a renewable material with a variety of potential uses within architecture and construction. In this article, we explore its properties, applications and environmental benefits, helping you understand where it may be suitable within a project.
Used in construction for centuries, lime remains an important material for breathable and durable building envelopes. This blog post explains its properties, applications and role in traditional and contemporary construction.
Wood fibre is increasingly being used as part of sustainable construction approaches. This guide examines its properties, applications and performance, explaining how it can contribute to efficient and environmentally considered buildings.
Environmental Series
Understanding the relationship between construction and the environment is an essential part of designing for the future. This series explores sustainability, environmental performance and renewable technologies, helping you understand the key considerations shaping more responsible approaches to architecture.
The connection between construction and environmental impact is an increasingly important consideration in architecture. This article introduces key sustainability principles and explores how buildings can respond more thoughtfully to environmental challenges.
The quality of an internal environment has a significant effect on comfort and wellbeing. This blog post looks at thermal comfort, air quality, acoustics and lighting, showing how design decisions influence the spaces people experience.
Water management is an essential part of sustainable building design. In this guide we cover topics including conservation, responsible use and environmental impact, helping you understand how buildings can respond more effectively to water-related challenges.
Solar strategies can help reduce energy demand and improve building performance. This article explains both passive and active solar approaches and how they can be incorporated into wider environmental design strategies.
Heat pumps are becoming an increasingly common part of low-carbon building approaches. This blog post explores how air source and ground source systems operate and the key factors to consider when integrating them into projects.