Passivhaus Retrofit Open Day at St Luke St

Beechmont Assisted Self-Build Project Opening

ATA were delighted to attend the opening of the assisted self-build scheme at Beechmont Close, a project, which we started to work on in 2005. Like many self build schemes, it takes determination and patience to bring such a scheme to fruition, but it was great to see so many of the people who had helped to make the project a success, and especially Nicolas Taylor, John Gillespie and Alison Marray  from Community Self build. The young people who were enrolled back in 2008 are now able to enjoy living in the flats they helped to build.  They worked on site with the Contractor, Enterprise and trained at Lewisham College. Some of them are now planning a career in the building industry.

One of the young people, a mother of two, was interviewed on completion of the build;-

"I always wanted to build my own house,  I did wood work in secondary school and it triggered off from there, just design and working with different materials, I didn’t really know how to get into it, so when I heard about this, I thought it was like a dream come true".

Jennie now official Certified Passivhaus Designer!

Jennie received her exam results today from the Passivhaus Institute in Darmstadt, Germany, confirming her new status as a Certified European Passivhaus Designer!

Jennie took the intense course and exam at Strathclyde University in December just before christmas, and it's been a tense few weeks waiting for the results.....

ATA are already designing to passivhaus standards, and now Jennie is a certified passivhaus designer, ATA have all the skills and expertise to deliver the quality of design and rigourous energy standards that the Passivhaus Institute demand - expertly detailed building fabric, low-energy ventilation and heating systems, comfortable, user-friendly houses, schools, public buildings and more.  Watch this space for news of future ATA passivhaus projects....... 

AECB London at Temple Yard

ATA hosted the AECB London group's first gathering of the year at their offices in Temple Yard this Wednesday. The theme was 'delicious details', and a great turn out of about 30 people stretched our drinks and nibbles to the limit, but kept our meeting room toasty warm with all the watts we were collectively emitting!

Many thanks to all who attended and contributed to the debate.

Click below for a summary of the evening, please feel free to comment below, and see you at the next AECB london meet....

Retrofit whips up a storm of discussion in the blogosphere

ATA's Retrofit for the Future project at Hawthorn Road has whipped up a storm of discussion in the blogosphere....

The Architects Journal blogged the article on the sustainability Footprint blog, but unfortunately didn't clearly express that the true project costs (Actual retrofit works cost £80K of TSB research and development funding - the £200k includes £120k that the housing association were spending on the house due to fire damage and major structural works - our retrofit - £80K - piggy-backed on this build.

Mark Brinkley's blog thought the £200k figure was the retrofit cost, which isn't the case, but an interesting debate was had below the blog, once the facts on the actual retrofit costs had been clarified (thanks to Andy for helping to put the facts straight!). 

Mark's blog is a good read and forum for anyone interested in a view on sustainable construction, very matter of fact and excellent self-build pragmatic comment.

ATA submit Lambeth Passivhaus Scheme for Planning

ATA have submitted their latest passivhaus scheme for planning approval. The scheme, located within a conservation area, includes three new-build four-bed family houses to passivhaus standard, that will be timber-frame construction.

The houses knit together an existing Victorian Terrace in Lambeth, that has been vacant since being bomb damaged during WW2. The scheme also carries out a major sustainable, low carbon refurbishment & retrofit to existing adjoined terrace houses  that will create 5 new flats.