Sustainability Report
Embodied carbon
Operational Emissions / Energy
Clay Rise sustainability information provided by Andre Ford, Founding Director at Templeton Ford.
Passive environmental strategies
Beyond the use of local materials and a prefabricated, panelised timber structure, the environmental strategy for Clay Rise was rooted in passive design principles. The house is oriented to maximise solar gain from the south, with deep reveals and overhangs used to moderate summer overheating. A highly insulated and airtight envelope was prioritised, alongside a compact building form that limits heat loss.
Many of the spaces are designed to be dual- or even triple-aspect, allowing for effective natural cross-ventilation. The stair void connects all floors and acts as a thermal chimney, using the stack effect to draw warm air up and out during warmer months. Together, these passive strategies reduced the need for mechanical intervention and helped lower the building’s overall operational carbon footprint.
Operational performance and post-occupancy lessons
In use, the house maintains a remarkably stable internal temperature year-round, with minimal active heating required even in winter. The air source heat pump operates at low flow temperatures and has proven efficient, supported by high levels of insulation and airtightness.
The heat pump is positioned approximately 25 metres from the house, the maximum allowable distance for the system. This allowed all associated plant, including the hot water tank, to be located in a separate plant space, freeing up valuable internal area within the house. Heat loss between the plant room and the house averages around 1°C, which has proved negligible given the spatial and practical benefits.
One of the most valuable lessons has been the effectiveness of combining simple passive principles with modest, well-integrated technology. The thermal chimney and natural cross-ventilation, in particular, have delivered meaningful comfort benefits without adding complexity. For other architects interested in low-energy homes, our experience reinforces that performance is best achieved through early spatial and sectional thinking, rather than relying on increasingly sophisticated mechanical systems alone.
Afterlife
The house was designed so that electrical and underfloor heating layouts allow some of the larger open-plan rooms to be subdivided in the future, with minimal structural or services intervention. The off-site construction process also meant that timber off-cuts from the main frame were kept to a minimum.
The most significant area of material reuse was within the kitchen, kitchenette, and utility spaces. All major appliances and cabinetry were sourced second-hand, with new door fronts added to the main kitchen to integrate with the bespoke joinery. This approach delivered substantial embodied carbon savings compared to purchasing new appliances, alongside clear cost benefits.
Together, these decisions have contributed to a building that feels resilient rather than fixed. Maintenance is straightforward, services are legible, and the house can evolve without major structural intervention. From a sustainability perspective, this adaptability is as important as initial material choices: extending the useful life of the building and avoiding future demolition or major retrofit is one of the most effective ways to reduce long-term environmental impact.
Key products in low carbon design
