Sustainability Report
Custom Certificates
Embodied carbon
The project incorporates embodied carbon reduction primarily through adaptive reuse and construction rationalisation. Part of the programme is housed within a retained early-20th-century residential structure, avoiding full demolition and the carbon cost of new structural works.
The new extension employs prefabricated precast concrete façade panels, limited to two standard geometries. This approach enables controlled manufacturing, reduced material waste, faster on-site assembly, and lower construction-phase emissions compared to cast-in-place concrete. Component standardisation across metal and aluminium façade elements further limits fabrication waste. The use of cork insulation, a renewable and low-embodied-energy material, contributes additional environmental benefit.
Operational Emissions / Energy
Operational performance relies on passive architectural strategies rather than mechanical systems. All apartments are designed with double exposure, enabling effective cross-ventilation and natural cooling during warmer periods. Daylight access is optimised through facade modulation and large openings, reducing reliance on artificial lighting.
Windows are double-glazed and argon-filled, improving thermal performance and limiting heating and cooling demand. Common circulation spaces, including the main stairwell, are naturally ventilated via an open metal mesh façade, eliminating the need for mechanical ventilation in shared areas. The building complies with near-zero energy building standards and achieves Energy Class A, with a high proportion of thermal comfort reached without mechanical systems.
Service and maintenance emissions
Service-related emissions are mitigated through durable and low-maintenance materials, particularly the precast concrete facade panels and aluminium shutter systems. The modular facade composition allows individual elements to be repaired or replaced without large-scale intervention, supporting longer service life and reduced maintenance intensity over time.
Afterlife
Adaptive reuse is integral to the project, with an existing house transformed into residential units rather than replaced. The building’s programme has already demonstrated flexibility, having shifted from an initial student-housing concept to standard residential use. Duplex layouts and clear structural organisation allow the apartments to accommodate future residential typologies such as co-living with minimal alteration.
Several building components support circular principles. Prefabricated facade panels, aluminium shutters, and window systems are mechanically fixed and can be dismantled more easily than monolithic assemblies. Metallic and aluminium elements are recyclable, while cork insulation offers biodegradable end-of-life pathways.
Key products in low carbon design
