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.

Playtime at Harlow Fields School!

Pupils at Harlow Fields School are loving getting to grips with their interactive and sensory new playground!

ATA is working on a series of phased upgrades at Harlow Fields School and College, Essex, for pupils with special needs.   The new playground for primary children is with living willow tunnels, swings, and musical instruments. Green oak benches and a bamboo sun shelter with many planters give the playground a natural feel. The benches and bollards were commissioned Carpenter Oak Ltd to utilise the stock of off cuts. 

Open Day Great Success at Hawthorn Road Retrofit

The opening last friday of the Retrofit for the Future 'Haringey PassivTerrace' by Anne Thorne Architects for Metropolitan Housing Partnership, construction by Sandwood Design & Build, was attended by local MP Lynne Featherstone, and Councillor John Bevan, Housing Association representatives, housebuilders and lots of architects!

Existing House

The refurbishment works to 10 Hawthorn Road are to a very high energy standard, part of the ‘Retrofit for the Future’ programme, funded by the Technology Strategy Board to show how we can retrofit existing houses to achieve 80% reductions in CO2 emissions.

‘Passivhaus’ Principles Retrofit

We used Passivhaus design principles and components, concentrating on a 'Fabric First' approach with high levels of insulation and air-tightness to dramatically reduce the energy demand and CO2 emissions for this solid-walled terrace house.

The retrofitted house has been designed to consume over 80% less energy than the existing house, thereby reducing carbon emissions by 80%.  We used the Passivhaus Planning Package (PHPP) to model the existing and potential heating needs and energy use of the house, to allow us to see the effect of small adjustments to the design of insulation, quality of windows, air-tightness, cold bridging, ventilation strategies and heating & hot water systems.

A Natural Approach

This retrofit uses insulation materials from renewable sources, such as sheepswool and woodfibre insulation, and natural mineral plasters such as lime plasters internally and clay aggregate for chimney void fills.

These materials are used for their hygroscopic/vapour-open qualities to help deal with moisture within the existing building fabric, and also reduce the embodied energy of the retrofit materials in the house, actually sequestering / locking carbon into the build (unlike other forms of building materials, such as phenolic foamed insulation, etc,).

Predicted Space Heat Demand  = 31 kWh/sqm/yr

Predicted Heating Load  = 16 W/sqm

Predicted Primary Energy Use = 91 kWh/sqm/yr

Target CO2 Emissions = 18 kg CO2/sqm/yr

Bateman Mews Published!

Anne Thorne Architect's award-winning Bateman Mews project that was shortlisted for the RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize has been been featured in the newly published 'Architecture 10 - RIBA Buildings of the Year' book. 

Hot off the press, the book features the award-winning projects of 2010, which includes the tactile cedar-shingle clad curves of Bateman Mews social housing scheme caught the eye of the architectural critics when it was completed last year.

Stoke Retrofit Making Great Progress On Site...

Site visit yesterday to Stoke on Trent ' Retrofit for the Future' Project with Sanctuary Housing. The new timber triple-glazed windows are in and looking fantastic. It's been noticed that as well as keeping the heat in the house during construction, they also provide great sound-proofing to outside noise.

It's also been noticed on site that now the air-barrier and insulation is all installed to the main house, it's so warm to work inside the house, even during the really cold spell of weather we've been having. 

Now the main house air-tight membrane has been installed and the windows are in, an air-test was carried out last week mid-construction - (the rear extension not yet built due to snow, so large opening in rear of ground floor was sealed with large sheet of membrane).

A result of 4 was achieved - a fantastic improvement from the existing result of 17 from the  test the Energy Saving Trust carried out - but still a way to go to our target of 1.

Main leakage points were the party walls where existing plaster patched, so skim coat to entire party wall to be carried our. Also leaks from electrical back boxes in the party wall, so to be re-bedded with plaster behind the boxes.

Project due for completion in January - so keep posted and check out the project blog more info on the project.

http://sanctuary-retrofit.blogspot.com/

Doreen Lawrence Officially Opens ATA's Tulse Hill Teenage Couples Housing

Doreen Lawrence, the human rights campaigner and mother of Stephen Lawrence, has opened a new housing scheme in south London.

The Teenage Couples housing scheme designed by Anne Thorne Architects, conceived by Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) housing association Ekaya, where Mrs Lawrence is now patron, was officially launched in Tulse Hill, Lambeth, after a year-long trial period. The project is designed to support and facilitate vulnerable couples at risk of homelessness and prepare them for independent living.

The Tulse Hill supported scheme consists of seven one-bedroom self-contained flats for young couples and their child. It has highly insulated brick cavity walls, roofs and floors, and solar thermal panels nestled on green roofs that supply hot water to the flats.

View News Article

Toasty Toes!

Lots of warm and happy in our office at the moment, as we've finally got rid of our energy hungry electric heating, and installed fantastic gas powered central heating, with a high-efficiency combi-boiler - and just in time, as snow fell and temperatures dropped in Temple Yard!

Took a lot of negotiating with the landlord - highlights the issues of encouraging private landlords to carry out energy-saving measures on their tenanted properties, as it's us, not them, who are going to benefit from a warmer winter and lower fuel bills (as well as dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of the office).

We'd carried our measures to reduce our energy use by removing half the fluorescent bulbs in our light fittings (each fitting had two bulbs - one bulb gives out plenty of light); over-boarded and sealed the perimeter of our timber floor below us to prevent draughts; and internally insulated external walls - snug!

Site Open Day MHT Retrofit

ATA hosted an 'in progress' open day on site at the Hawthorn Road 'Retrofit for the Future' project, to show the build in progress.

The external insulation to the rear of the house is looking fantastic, and even though the build is still in progress, the rooms on the first floor felt very warm, considering it was a cold day, and the front and rear doors were open. 

There will be a final open day when the Retrofit is complete on the 7th January 2011, so will keep you posted for further details.

Jennie on course to become Certified European Passivhaus Designer

Jennie at ATA has just completed the second part of her intensive training course at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (Jennie is second from right on the front row of the thermal imaging photo of the course!).

The course provides advanced training for architects and designers already experienced in energy optimised construction and renovation, and learn the fundamentals of planning and building cost-efficient Passive Houses and buildings.

Once qualified, ATA will be certified to design and deliver cost-effective passivhaus projects to the stringent energy and design standards set down by the Passivhaus Institute.

"The course has been fascinating, really testing my understanding of building physics, along with practical exoerience of air-testing and thermal imaging.

It's also been particulary interesting being based in Scotland, where a number of passivhaus projects have already been realised. The timber-frame 'kit' industry in Scotland is really gearing up to be able to deliver passivhaus standard construction cost-effectively, and it's been great to be meet with fellow passivhaus enthusiasts north of the border"

Fran Bradshaw's Blog on Creativity & Housing (& Hemp!)

I went over to Belfast this week to join the PLACE (N Ireland Architecture Centre) Conference series on Creativity and Innovation in the Northern Ireland Construction Industry, and present a couple of ATA projects. 

The theme - Creativity and Housing - was illustrated by some fascinating schemes. I got to stay in one of them, a new Hemp Cottage in County Down by Rachel Bevan Architects, which was built using temporary shuttering, in lifts each about 800mm high. The hemp is mixed with lime and tamped just enough to keep it together and not enough to lose its insulating qualities, achieving a flexible solid wall construction which is uniform with no joints. The result is a very stable internal temperature and indoor air quality, and a delightful place to stay.

Hemp Cottage

Stoke-On-Trent Retrofit on Site!

ATA's 'Retrofit for the Future' project for an existing terrace house for Sanctuary Housing began on site on September 27th.  

We are using Passivhaus principles and components, concentrating on a 'Fabric First' approach to dramatically reduce the energy demand and CO2 emissions for this hard-to-heat terrace house in Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent.

Solar thermal water heating is provided, along with passivhaus certified heat recovery ventilation. These works will result in an 80% reduction in the existing house's energy demand and carbon emissions.

The project is to be monitored for 2 years by the energy saving trust on completion, and we hope to evidence that the tenants will enjoy a comfortable and warm , draught-free internal environment with vastly reduced energy bills.

Follow the project blog here

Guest Blog: Naomi's Work Experience at ATA

All at ATA were delighted to have Naomi De Barr with them for a week of work experience last week. Naomi did some fantastic work for us whilst she was here, including some fantastic cardboard model-making. Naomi is in the final year of her A Levels and intends to study architecture at university next year. Here's Naomi's guest blog on her week at ATA:

"I was very grateful to obtain a week’s work experience at Anne Thorne Architects last week. The week was truly inspiring, I learnt so much. I made a model of a real project and expanded it using Google SketchUp. It was fantastic to be able to contribute some of my own ideas and try as far as possible to meet the brief given. I visited the site on Hawthorn Road and was interested to see the process of designing such an energy efficient house. The week opened my eyes to what being an architect will be like and it was wonderful to be in an environment where everyone was willing to give advice and offer their help. Thank you for such a beneficial experience!"