Sustainability Report

The project reduces upfront carbon through adaptive reuse, retaining the original structure, and minimising the need for new materials.

Archello: Beyond what is visible in the design, were there particular strategies that proved key in reducing the project’s carbon footprint?

George Dawes, Director at Bindloss Dawes: The single biggest contributor was adapting the existing tractor shed under Class Q rather than pursuing a new build. Retaining the primary structure — the foundations and the external walls — drastically reduced embodied carbon from the outset, both in terms of waste going to landfill and the purchasing and installation of new materials.

We also focused on low-carbon methods of construction and integrated technologies that allow the home to operate at zero carbon in use. The walls, floor, and roof are highly insulated, and the decision was made that all windows and doors would be triple glazed. Together with the renewable technologies (air-source heat pump and photovoltaics), we were able to achieve a carbon-positive project, meaning that we generate more electricity and energy than we produce.

Archello: The project balances agricultural elements with a carefully curated interior palette. Are there one or two sustainable materials or systems you’d highlight that helped achieve the home’s environmental ambitions?

George Dawes: The exposed steel and metal composite roof reference agricultural construction, both in forming a materially efficient strategy and in the expression of the structure as a finish. The roof panels are a product by Kingspan called QuadCore, which we have used previously. It is a metal insulated sandwich panel that is self-spanning, reducing the need for secondary steelwork. It is quick and simple to install, with integrated rooflights as part of the system.

Internally, we have used Douglas fir to accent the front facade and interior detailing, bringing warmth and colour to the material palette. The timber is locally and responsibly sourced, offering excellent durability with a relatively light carbon footprint.

Archello: You’ve spoken about the pragmatism of agricultural construction. Could you say more about how this shaped the project?

George Dawes: It was foundational. Agricultural buildings are inherently honest — they do what they need to do with no superfluous moves. We embraced that mindset. The mono-pitched form, the long linear plan, and the exposed steelwork all stem from the logic of the original shed. That pragmatism gave the architecture a certain clarity: spaces are simple, generous, and legible, with a direct relationship to the landscape. Rather than soften or disguise the building’s origins, we allowed them to inform a contemporary domestic expression.

The Tractor Shed achieves an as-built EPC rating of 103 A, indicating that it produces more energy than it consumes, with the potential to reach an EPC rating of 125 A.

Archello: The home is described as zero carbon in use. Do you have any data on its environmental performance?

George Dawes: The claim refers to operational energy: the home is designed so that its day-to-day energy use is effectively offset by renewable or highly efficient systems. While we haven’t published specific performance figures yet — the house has been recently completed and has not been lived in — the ambition is clear: the building operates without needing to draw electricity from the grid. The information we have so far is an as-built EPC rating in excess of 100, meaning that we are producing more electricity and energy than we use, which classifies the project as carbon positive.