Environmental

The world is getting smaller, and the complicated demands of people and society can often be in conflict with the need to preserve and protect the natural environment. We believe architecture has a crucial role in harmonising and minimising the impact of that conflict. Our buildings work to improve quality of life, eliminate waste, curb pollution, and conserve energy and natural resources.

It is important to us that we design buildings with respect for the environment. Not only is this responsible architecture, it's intelligent architecture: incorporating sustainable design can often improve whole life costing, and save money.

This means that on any project, we stop and think. Our approach is methodical and measured, and we offer a variety of BREEAM assessments to our clients. For maximum effect, sustainable design is integrated into the process from the start. We challenge preconceptions - even the need for a new building at all. Getting early and relatively simple decisions right can bring major benefits. Clever location, orientation and building form can play a key part in reducing environmental impact.

We then move into the detail. A wide range of options will be discussed and analysed, such as methods of conserving energy: use of daylight, natural ventilation, super-insulation and passive solar design; using renewable energy, reducing water consumption; recycling rainwater; specifying materials with low embodied energy that contain or produce fewer toxins during production, installation, use or demolition; selecting materials from sustainable sources; and requiring the contractor to minimise the environmental impact of site management, introducing measures for reducing waste on site, and the impact of sourcing raw materials.