Hugo is passionate about prioritising low energy, sustainable architecture. After all, the construction industry is currently worth 25% of the UK’s carbon footprint*. In practice, working this way means:
- Designing buildings to retain and store heat, through good airtightness, high levels of insulation and thermal mass.
- Using the latest renewable technology to provide the energy needed for space and water heating.
- Where possible use a structural method that is sustainable and natural, such as clay blocks or timber framing.
- Clay blocks are structural, insulating and also have excellent thermal mass to store heat.
- Using natural insulations such as woodfibre, straw, hempcrete or foam glass. Where these are too expensive, some conventional materials are still good compromises, such as Rockwool or recycled glass wool and using EPS insulation over PIR.
The office runs as sustainably as it can, including:
- Sustainable banking (Triodos)
- Sustainable mobile phone network (Honest Mobile)
- Green electricity supplier (Octopus Energy)
- A 3.5kw PV array
We are also proud to support Moor Trees, an independent charity based on the southern edge of Dartmoor. Their mission is to restore native woodland on Dartmoor and in South Devon. For more information, see their website here: moortrees.org
