The ECOtswolds team will be focussing on the research and testing of innovative technologies in order to support our live client with their paragraph 79 project in the Cotswolds. The work will take on three main phases:

Research – We will aim to gather as much information as possible. This will allow us to develop a good understanding of what technologies already exist, whats in development and the potential for use within the project. Using the existing scheme and research as a baseline, we will be focusing on four key areas: Fabric specific tech, energy generation, energy storage and energy conservation.

Analysis – As part of the project, we will be looking at how you might test some of these ideas through simulated analysis. Utilising 3D modelling software such as Sketchup and Grasshopper for Rhino to obtain results. We will be running some small skills tutorials to bring the team up to speed.

Visuals – Once all the research has been collected, collated, and tested we will need to visualise the results and present them in a document. For this part of the project, we will be looking at using adobe suite packages and running more skills workshops to help team members to display the finished work.

A Chartered Architect, Jack has a background in sustainable design and healthcare architecture, specialising in Primary & Community Care. During his career, he has fulfilled a pivotal role within multi-disciplinary Project Teams, supporting the successful design and delivery of large-scale healthcare projects from strategy to full technical design.

Jack will be talking to us about his progression towards becoming an architect and an advocate for sustainability. He will be taking us through some of the ground-breaking projects that he has worked on and the innovative ways in which sustainable goals were achieved. He will also give some insight into how chasing these goals sometimes has to be balanced with client aspirations and budget.

Find out more:

https://www.facebook.com/sustainablestudioarchitects/

https://abuhb.nhs.wales/news/news/a-glimpse-at-what-the-new-tredegar-health-and-wellbeing-centre-will-look-like/

https://www.swanseabaycitydeal.wales/news/building-work-to-start-on-self-powering-technology-centre/

Earlier today, we were joined by chattered architect Jack Davies, who shared his invaluable experience of progressing through architectural education and towards a career that champions sustainable design. As the former sustainability lead for IBI's Cardiff office and the co-founder of the sustainable studio, Jack was able to share with us a range of projects that put sustainable design and well-being at the heart of the process.

Different certifications and standards were discussed during the presentation, such as Passive House, LEED, and BREEAM. Jack was also able to talk through how these are achieved and explain the inherent nuances.

His methodology encourages social, cultural, and environmental sensitivity, particularly relevant towards sensitive planning projects.

https://passivehouse.com/
https://www.bregroup.com/
http://leed.usgbc.org/leed.html
https://www.facebook.com/sustainablestudioarchitects/

James Williams is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sero a hybrid technology and housing company which specialises in developing Zero carbon homes. Sero also supports partners to deliver Zero Carbon in both new build and retrofit, Sero operates those homes to benefit the residents and grid decarbonisation, and aggregates homes to deliver the best outcomes for families, energy grids and the planet.

James will be talking to us about Sero homes and their revolutionary Parc Hadau development which aimed at creating zero carbon homes development. Through the project, he will show how they were able to integrate zero carbon, placemaking and biodiversity into one scheme whilst maintaining the quality and aesthetic appeal. He will talk about what net zero carbon really means and what is needed to achieve it.

Find out more:

https://sero.group/

https://loyn.co.uk/work/parc-hadau

https://www.insidermedia.com/rising-stars/wales/2019

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/walesonline-35-under-35-2019-16748020

Padraig is a sustainability leader at IBI and has recently relocated from Vancouver to be based in the UK & Ireland. He is at the cutting-edge of sustainable design, specifically the ‘Passive House’ standard, which promotes low energy consumption by creating a comfortable internal environment that does not require continued heating and cooling.

Padraig will be talking to us about one of his most recent projects which is the fourth tallest residential building in Vancouver and the tallest Passive House Building in the world. The presentation will show how Passive House principles are transferable across all sectors, from commercial and hospitality, through to large-scale healthcare environments.

Find out more:

https://www.ibigroup.com/

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/11/23/wkk-architects-1075-nelson-street-passivhaus-skyscraper/

https://vimeo.com/515251723?ref=em-share

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/the-pacific-grosvenor-americas-arts-culture-hub-825-pacific-street-vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1500-robson-street-vancouver-rental-tower

Today we were joined by Padraig McMorrow – A passive house certified architect from IBI group.

Padraig talked through the carbon impacts of a building from material selection, construction, in-use, and disassembly. He discussed the five main Passive house principles: No thermal bridging, Superior windows, Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, quality insulation, and Airtight construction. He used a range of projects from his portfolio at IBI to give working examples of best practice.

The discussion was opened out to questions where we discussed the future of passive house and energy standards in the UK, Mass timber, and the use of natural materials.

Padraig was also able to offer some helpful insight on delivering a sustainable building with a traditional aesthetic.

https://ecococon.eu/
https://www.modcell.com/projects/

Today was the final day of the eCotswolds research project, and team members from our collaborators joined us to show them the output and receive feedback.
Overall, the scheme was really well received, and they were impressed by how clean, and well-presented the work was. Kit was able to offer some invaluable insight into the realities of some of the theoretical approaches that were covered throughout the week.
Once the research was shown and explained, it was discussed how this process could revolutionize the way paragraph 79 project runs, with this project being the archetype for university involvement and the output setting the standard for future schemes. This project has potentially opened the door for broader participation and collaboration across schools and the industry.
The rural solutions team also discussed how there could be an opportunity for continued involvement from members of the Cotswolds team and the potential for a site visit if the planning application is successful.
We want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved with this project, from giving talks to producing work. It was an invaluable experience and will go a long way to helping achieve a sustainable future with so many aspiring architects learning from it.

Original artwork by 1st year BA Student Jacky Li

https://ruralsolutions.co.uk/

https://www.ecospheric.co.uk/