Biodiversity net gain is now a mandatory requirement for most new developments in England under the Environment Act 2021, and integrating eco-habitats into the building fabric at design stage is far simpler than retrofitting them later. But the case for...
The Future Homes Standard is expected to come into force 24th March 2027 in England and represents a significant change in how the energy performance of new homes will be assessed and regulated. Alongside the Future Homes Standard, the industry will see the...
An element of building fabric like a wall or a roof has four key components: an external weatherproof layer, a continuous insulation layer, a structural layer and an internal airtight layer. Some materials may do more than one of these simultaneously. For example, a...
This is the second set of Retro Ecowall® details produced in collaboration with Ecological Building Systems, following on from Part 1 which covered the core system build-up and junctions at roof eaves, intermediate floors, and wall intersections. This set addresses...
This summer has been filled with articles and posts about reducing internal heat and solar gain, whilst we battle with one of the warmest summers on record and a growing trend of hotter summers with a housing stock that is not designed for this new climate. The...
This second set of passive solar shading details extends the range introduced in Set 1, focusing on sliding and folding shutter systems across a wider range of configurations and opening types. Where Set 1 covered fixed fins, brise soleil, roller shutters, and a...
This detail set has been produced in collaboration with Ecological Building Systems, specialists in sustainable building products and systems, and covers the application of their Retro Ecowall® internal wall insulation system to existing solid brick and stone walls....
The irony is not lost on me, as I sit down to write an article about harnessing the power of the sun’s energy in mid-February 2026 in the UK, following the 4th wettest January in 120 years and 41 days (and counting) of rainfall. Thankfully, any number of AI engines...
This new set covers a range of external solar shading strategies for residential windows, across timber frame and masonry cavity wall constructions. With Approved Document O now requiring overheating to be considered in new residential buildings, solar shading is...
For architects and building designers, specifying renewable technologies is now an everyday part of creating buildings that are resilient and fit for the present and future. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, paired with battery energy storage systems (BESS), are at the...
This month we have a new set of corner glazing details, featuring traditional bay windows and contemporary Fluid Glass corner sliding door systems. Corner glazing presents unique challenges—structural support for cantilevered elements, thermal performance at...
Approved Document M Volume 1 is one of those regulations that takes longer than it should to apply in practice. The provisions are detailed, the dimensions vary by category, and a lot of the information you need on a working drawing like clear opening widths, access...
