Eco-Hub article on low-tech / high-tech fusion

... by Amanda Birch, worth a read!

Ecohub highly commended at RICS awards

The Ecohub has been 'highly commended' earlier this month at the RICS Award under the 'community benefit' category. Client Paul Ely pictured with awards sponsor at Kensington Palace. The Olympic Park led the awards, so we were delighted that the Ecohub joined such team!

17th International Passivhaus conference: highlights from Fran Bradshaw

ABG plenary talk, ABG are like the Co-op but operate in housing -  private and social, and everything else you can build  - car parks, offices, banks, police stations, nurseries. Apparently a quarter of Frankfurt's population live in one of their houses/flats, they've built 2000 passivhaus flats/houses and have 4000 more in the pipeline. Their slogan is 'passivhaus rechnet sich', (passivhaus pays).

The equivalent to the Head of Building Control - from Heidelberg City, describing how they are building 1700 new passivhaus flats/houses with mixed use development for 5000 jobs on an old goods yard site. All buildings are required to be developed to Passivhaus standard, PHPP is required with details as building control drawings are submitted, with follow up and site inspections. True it did look from the images as if white render/cladding was obligatory, but my prejudice!

ATA at the 17th International Passivhaus Conference

... And Fran will be talking about retrofit.
See you in Frankfurt 19-21 April 2013!

ATA in Co-housing mode

Full steam ahead with our co-housing scheme for LoCo (who are recruiting new members, have a look at their website) and inspiring site visit to Colchester! More soon.

Trees before buildings in Norfolk

We thought we should share more of our other projects -  apart from the much blogged about Eco Hub! - that we have on at the moment. This is a site in Norfolk where we are designing a new Passivhaus, straw bale, thatched roof cottage. Trees before buildings - so some apple trees being planted, and willow hedges chosen. Exciting times ahead!

'The new building has so much potential to bring the community closer'

Some pics of the great celebration for International Women's Day held at the Eco Hub.

Thanks to the event organiser Lilly Labonte and Kaya (16) for the words (extract bellow).

Originally planned to be held on the outdoor Shell theatre, the performances for International Women's Day at Lordship Rec was moved to the newly built Eco Hub, due to the weather turning for the worst with snow and chilly winds. The purpose was to promote women in business and encourage those not already involved in business and enterprise to be inspired to do so. There were performances ranging from street dance to spoken word and music, all the performers were young women. There were workshops about how to set up your own businesses and one 2 one drop in advice sessions, from women speakers who currently organise business starter programmes, passing down their wisdom and experience to others. The atmosphere was open and friendly and as a local young person it was nice to feel embraced by my own community, as well get to know other local people. The new building has so much potential to bring the community closer, and offer a perfect place for performances, get together’s or just a coffee or lunch after a morning in the park. This was shown on International Women's Day as it opened the Eco Hub up for the first time, allowing everyone to see what a great space it is and can be. There are more events coming to the eco hub and park very soon.

Never mind the stalls, it's the people that matter

Overdue Ecobuild reviews by Kate and Fran

Last week's Ecobuild was an interesting few days. Fran's discussion of the use of natural materials in retrofit demonstrated that a more thoughtful choice of material and method creates a tailored approach which is far more successful. Fran was joined by Mark Elton of ECD Architects whose Wilmcote House is a nice example of resident inclusive retrofit design. However he also showed some worrying photos revealing the implications of rushed retrofits and ignorant funding schemes. Also of note was Francine Houben of Mecanoo Architecten with her inspiring account of their approach to sustainable public spaces, a culturally challenging debate on retirement co-housing, and some well attended PassivHaus seminars.
Kate, Part I at ATA


Ecobuild its usual self, in that the pleasure is all in the people - those I hoped to see, and the unexpected and joyful meetings. Star of the show for me was Sabine Leribaux, of Architectes Associés who designed Aeropolis, 'the largest operational passive energy building in Brussels' who spoke at the Passivhaus evening celebration. She talked about 'freedom and human rights'  arguing for our responsibility for global sustainability and the ethical choice we make as building professionals. This was a world away from techno discussions about thermal bridging and air tightness, and a wonderfully sane and lucid talk.

Of course I think thermal bridging and airtightness detailing are are both essential -  and gripping subject matter, and was talikng about them myself at the seminar on 'What can we afford to spend on our existing buildings'.  Mark Elton make a powerful case 'can we afford NOT to'.  Seminars were lively, and discussions varied - never mind the stalls, it's the people that matter!

Fran 

Women in Architecture

Tomorrow is International Women's Day and some of us at ATA will be going to the breakfast debate organised by Women in Architecture. Lots of interesting speakers and guests and a preview of 'The contemporary face of Women in Architecture', a digital display of portraits of women in the workplace, commissioned by WiA (spot us at the EcoHub!). If you want to find out more or join the discussion click here. 

Ecobuild, again!

Fran will be discussing retrofit using natural materials tomorrow, Thursday 7th March, at 14:15 part of the Refurnishing Britain seminar in Room 4. The session is titled 'Existing Dwellings: what should the retrofit standard be?' and it'll be chaired by Mark Elton. We hope you can come and join the discussion!

Fran delivers RIBA CPD on retrofit & building physics

Yesterday to Exeter for first of Robert Prewett and my joint RIBA CPD on retrofit and building physics - trying to cram the half day workshops we did for FLASH into a couple of hours!  It's really interesting to find out what architects are looking for; at Exeter some were focussed on cost of retrofit initiatives, while others on solutions to the difficult details of internal wall insulation. Airtightness was a good area to examine in more detail because it isn't really the money, but the detailing and communication with contractor which is the point - I hope they found some of it useful! Next dates below

Building physics and retrofit design
22-Jan	Exeter	2pm - 4.30pm
13-Feb	Manchester	1.30pm - 4pm
14-Feb	Liverpool	10am-12:30pm
21-Feb	Cambridge	2pm - 4.30pm
27-Mar	Birmingham	2pm - 4.30pm
23-May	Crawley	2pm - 4.30pm
11-Jul	Gateshead	2pm - 4.30pm
18-Jul	Bath	2pm - 4.30pm
12-Sep	Reading	2pm - 4.30pm
18-Sep	Leeds	2pm - 4.30pm
12-Nov	London	5.30pm - 8pm
27-Nov	Nottingham	2pm - 4.30pm
04-Dec	Cardiff	2pm - 4.30pm

Women in Sustainable Architecture

Good to see Anne Thorne Architects mentioned alongside Fionn Stevenson, Sofie Pelsmakers, Sarah Whigglesworth and others as the AJ's pick of the women who are influencing sustainable architecture today. Read the article by Laura Mark here.

58 Thermal Images at Eco Hub

Many many thanks go to our AECB friend, Andrew Pratt at RETANE Thermal Images. He has come over to the Eco Hub with his thermal image camera. The thermal images can identify inconsistency on the thermal envelop. 

The contrast could be because of the construction geometry, which nothing is wrong to have, moisture content, emissivity, reflected temperature, atmospheric temperature, distance, heat loss at air/moisture leaks, or missing insulation. The building was not heated for a long enough period (just 8 hours almost for the first time. A heavier structure had not had time to heat up yet) so that it will be very useful to take images again soon at the same positions, well, at 58 locations! The room temperature was just 18.5 degrees. Outside was 9.9 degrees.
Thank you for your detailed advice too, Andrew!
- Junko

UK Passivhaus Conference 2012 visits

The UK Passivhaus conference #UKPHC12
was full of tantalising glimpses into projects one wants to know much more about!

What did you think about our presentation of the EcoHub?

Conference exhaustion was followed by site visits - see people above - listening to the Headteacher at Architype's charming school. I found most interesting the stories about less use of athsma inhalers at the school, and at Interserve's office, they had just checked statistics and found significantly reduced sick leave. 

Also the cool (rather than warm)  boiler room at Oak Meadow school was impressive!

C404 raises money for garden planting

Funny and enjoyable Poetry and Music evening garden fundraiser at Centre 404, refurbished by ATA, in a delightfully sparkling hall on 10th November. We didn't win the raffle, but enjoyed ourselves. How much was raised? We are looking forward to the planting!