Max Fordham LLP’s Post

From the “Plattenbau” of the past to the homes of the future ♻️ In several places, old prefabricated GDR buildings are being renovated in conformity with modern architecture. A prime example can be found in Aschersleben, where the local housing association has transformed an old building into attractive homes with a low environmental footprint. Solar panels on roofs and facades cover around 60 per cent of the building’s energy consumption, while the rest comes from a regional provider with guaranteed climate-neutral electricity. In addition, many of the materials are Cradle to Cradle Certified®, where material health and recyclability are in focus. One of the chose materials is Troldtekt acoustic ceilings based on the reduced-carbon cement type FUTURECEM™ 🤩 Read more about the project in our online feature article, where you can also visit another GDR building that now serves as a “living laboratory” for circular building materials.      #troldtekt #goodacoustics

Western Australia could become home to the world’s tallest hybrid mass timber building, with plans approved for a tower in South Perth by developer Grange Development. The ‘C6’ residential tower will be constructed using renewable timber technologies including Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), Glue Laminated Timber (Glulam) and Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), and the developer claims it will also be a carbon negative building given its world-class renewable design. On completion, C6 is planned to reach 186.5 metres high and 50 storeys, which soars well above the 25 storey, 86.6 metre Ascent in Wisconsin, USA that currently holds the mantle of the world’s tallest timber tower. Beyond the timber construction, the C6 project has a clear focus on sustainability, with a biophilic design, and future resident access to a fleet of Tesla EVs. The building will be powered by renewable energy and there are plans for productive food to be grown onsite. The timber construction contributes to the overall biophilic design of the building, with exposed timber structure and vertical landscaping set to include almost 3,500 sqm of floral, edible, and native gardens throughout the building. https://lnkd.in/g68ATvcN

From the “Plattenbau” of the past to the homes of the future ♻️ In several places, old prefabricated GDR buildings are being renovated in conformity with modern architecture. A prime example can be found in Aschersleben, where the local housing association has transformed an old building into attractive homes with a low environmental footprint. Solar panels on roofs and facades cover around 60 per cent of the building’s energy consumption, while the rest comes from a regional provider with guaranteed climate-neutral electricity. In addition, many of the materials are Cradle to Cradle Certified®, where material health and recyclability are in focus. One of the chose materials is Troldtekt acoustic ceilings based on the reduced-carbon cement type FUTURECEM™🤩 Read more about the project in our online feature article, where you can also visit another GDR building that now serves as a “living laboratory” for circular building materials.    #troldtekt #goodacoustics 

Great paper. “Given there is more variability within forms than between them, strategies for reducing the embodied GHG of housing should emphasize best-in-class construction alongside sustainable form selection. “For single-family and missing middle, best-in-class construction means limiting substructure size, reducing structural steel and aluminum finish use, and lowering drywall mass. Within the data, wooden structural systems have a lower impact than steel or concrete in low-rise buildings.” https://lnkd.in/gm_PnfHp

Only 4 per cent of homes are built with the top energy performance certificate (EPC) rating of A, of which an even smaller subset are net-zero carbon. Commercially this is because building sustainably pushes up construction costs for housebuilders — and house prices for buyers. Crazy to carry on building houses where we have to retrofit in ten or twenty years’ time!! Crazy to not build homes which are Nature based and Nature friendly. Sustainable build/retrofit is overfocused on energy without proper consideration of life-cycle carbon emissions and harm to nature. There are solutions which government regulators and a slothful construction industry need to embrace so low carbon/energy and high nature buildings and homes are built with affordable practises. Combining the slightly higher cost nature based low carbon/embodied energy products with higher build standards for net zero can start to be made more affordable with new approaches. Some new approaches with new financial models help with affordability improvements: - New Build see 'Wondrwall' - Existing Buildings see 'Otovo'. Thoughts.....? https://lnkd.in/egihZB_P

It’s great to see work begin on site for our new housing development in Pappert, Bonhill, which will see affordable Passivhaus homes brought to West Dunbartonshire for the very first time. The 26-home development is being delivered by CCG (Scotland) Ltd in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council and will include a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties in response to greater demand from larger families within the area. Of the 26 homes, six will be constructed to a Passivhaus classic standard, alongside 20 homes designed to achieve Platinum level under Section 7 (Sustainability) of the Building Standards with features including triple glazing, air source heat pumps, solar PV & electric battery storage. Carbon Futures have been involved in the project from the outset as Energy and Passivhaus Consultants, supporting the development of an enhanced energy strategy which is now being adopted as part of the Council’s new Design Standard that will see all new council homes in the region achieve an enhanced level of sustainability as a minimum. CCG (Scotland) Ltd MAST Architects G3 Consulting Engineers Ltd. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ePacibMs #energy #sustainability #Passivhaus #buildingperformance #socialhousing

It's great to see plans submitted for the next phase of development at Dundashill which will continue to transform the Port Dundas area of Glasgow into a thriving 600-home community. The next phase of 88 homes for Bigg Regeneration, a joint venture between igloo Regeneration and Scottish Canals, will deliver a mix of 1- and 2-bed apartments, 2- and 3-bed duplex lofts, and 3- and 4-bedroom townhouses, with roof terraces overlooking the city. All homes have been designed with people, place and planet in mind by Stallan-Brand and HAUS Collective. Construction will again be delivered by CCG (Scotland) Ltd, with a focus on a low upfront carbon supply chain, with locally manufactured timber frames, windows, doors and concrete bricks, which use reclaimed materials.  ✅ Offsite Manufactured Timber Frame ✅ Enhanced Building Fabric Performance ✅ Air Source Heat Pumps ✅ Wastewater Heat Recovery ✅ Solar Photovoltaics ✅ EV Charging Continuing our involvement from the previous phase, Carbon Futures have worked closely with our design team colleagues to develop an energy strategy that is designed to perform well beyond current building standards. ➡️ Climate Based Daylight Modelling ➡️ Overheating Analysis (TM59) ➡️ Operational Energy Analysis (TM54) ➡️ Thermal Bridging Analysis ➡️ Energy Assessment ➡️ Approved Certifier of Design (Energy) ➡️ Energy Champion Consultancy Having supported the development from concept stage through to completion, this is a fine example of what can be achieved through early design team engagement and collaboration. Doig+Smith G3 Consulting Engineers Ltd. Thomas & Adamson Avison Young │ UK rankinfraser landscape architecture llp, EnviroCentre #energy #sustainability #buildingperformance #consultancy #collaboration #newbuildhousing #glasgow #operationalenergy #daylightmodelling #overheating #thermalbridging #energyassessment #netzerotransition 📷 Bigg Regeneration Read more: https://lnkd.in/eND3Vimk

Last week, Future Homes Hub members visited Barratt Developments plc Bellway Homes Energy House 2.0 project at the University of Salford.   The state-of-the-art research facility houses two immense environmental chambers, each able to accommodate two detached houses, that are capable of simulating a wide range of extreme weather conditions (wind, rain, snow, and solar radiation), with temperatures ranging from -20°C to +40°C.   By subjecting their homes to rigorous conditions, homebuilders are gaining invaluable insights into the performance of zero-carbon design. This knowledge is essential as we all strive to deliver homes that not only meet today's standards but also exceed the challenges of tomorrow's climate.   The visit showcased cutting-edge technologies such as infrared heating panels, smart building management systems, heated skirting boards, dual ventilation and advanced timber frame construction.   We explored their eHome2, testing low carbon products and materials in extreme environments. It was fascinating to learn about Barratt Developments plc Bellway Homes key insights into designing and building zero carbon homes, and the extent to which home performance matched design expectations after testing in different environments.   As the built environment accounts for a significant portion of the UK's carbon footprint, it's imperative that we transition successfully to a zero carbon future. Energy House 2.0 is a pivotal step in this direction, enabling the development and refinement of solutions for both new builds and existing homes.   #sustainability #netzero #energyefficiency #innovation #construction #housing #climatechange #futurehomes #barratthomes #bellwayhomes #energyhouse2 Oliver Novakovic MCABE CBuildEng Samantha Lafferty Colin Cole Charlie Myers Rachael D. Josh Wright Matt Tiller Leo Gee Tom Chapman Steve Callow Nigel Bishop PAUL GARFORTH LINIAR

Traditional construction is costing us more than we think. But what if there’s a greener alternative? 🌍 Let’s talk about 3D-printed houses vs. traditional construction The environmental impact of building a house goes beyond just the materials—we need to consider emissions, energy consumption, and waste. 3D-printed homes are reducing CO₂ emissions, energy use, and waste. It’s a game-changer for the future of construction. Want to learn more? Check out our blog for all the details. https://lnkd.in/ePkydQ74

It's no secret in Scotland that timber is one of the most sustainable and carbon-neutral building products on the market.  It’s also scalable, cost-effective and easy. Yet whilst 90% of Scotland's new homes are being built with timber, only 10% of England's new homes are timber frame. According to alex goodfellow, CEO of Donaldson Timber Systems and member of Structural Timber Association Ltd, if even 50% of the government’s target of 300,000 new homes were built using timber, it would take one million tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere each year. #timefortimber #timberframe #sustainabuild #newhomes #sustainablehomes #netzeronow https://lnkd.in/eMzhrwdv