Episode Notes Stories of Sustainability Show notes Episode1: Patrick Osborne, Head of Sustainability, ECE Architecture In this podcast, we welcome Patrick Osborne, who is head of sustainability at ECE Architects. He is a Chartered Architect and Certified European Passivhaus Designer with experience of low energy domestic, education and commercial building projects across the UK. Passivhaus is an international standard for energy efficiency, using building physics as a starting point. It is used to radically reduce heating demands, and therefore making it easier to meet a net zero carbon target. If we have any chance of meeting our climate reduction targets, we need to start adopting what we call a fabric first approach, so we conserve energy rather than wasting it and using valuable renewables to heat our buildings. Welcome Patrick. Q1 (How has your background influenced your journey into sustainability? Architecture school CAT Working for some passionate architects concerned about climate change and how we can make a difference. Q2: How do you/architects integrate sustainable design principles into projects while maintaining aesthetic appeal and functionality? Simplification Considering a “fabric first” approach Learning from past practice and others – knowledge sharing Q3: What are some innovative sustainable materials or building techniques that you incorporate into your designs? Off site construction and timber frame Super insulation Using energy models as a design tool Innovation – do we want this or do we want to innovate the process to give a better result? Q4: 13% of products delivered to construction sites are sent directly to landfill without being used. What are some effective ways for architects to design buildings that minimise waste during construction and encourage recycling and reuse? This is a scary statistic which is hardly changed in the time I’ve worked as an architect, even though there have been campaigns and legislation that have tried to reduce it Partly this is due to the way buildings are built, any delay can cost money, so it becomes more cost effective to over order materials, and suppliers often won’t take part of a palette of materials, bricks are a classic example. And this leads to significant waste, which is built in to cost plans and Improvements over the last few years in developing off site construction, which is panels or parts of buildings that are built in factories and delivered partially built, can reduce waste. My own practice are working with a number of companies that supply pre built units that need very little to turn into houses or buildings, and the factory where they are built can control the waste better. Using materials that if they are wasted, has less of an impact is also a good strategy. If we specify timber, or more natural materials, the waste could be reused, There is also a growing market for reusing steel – we are working with structural engineer who have really helped to ensure that one building which is being demolished is then reused as part of a building we’re working on. We also have campaigns to reduce carbon in emissions. Q5: The built environment accounts for 45% of total UK carbon emissions (27% from domestic buildings and 18% from non-domestic) How can architects incorporate renewable energy sources into their designs, such as solar or wind power? (why can’t all new builds have solar panels as standard?). Solar panels should be incorporated, but they are often the first thing that is cut due to increasing costs. Q6: What challenges do you face when implementing sustainable design practices, and how can these challenges be overcome? What are your biggest frustrations (and pleasures)? Costs I like seeing the designs come to life, on site, and to see an unloved building being turned into a bright, comfortable and energy efficient new space is amazing. A lot of hard work from a whole team of people, from architects and engineers through to the builders and the clients themselves. Final question: Do you have any easy tips that listeners can implement to become a bit more sustainable? First, any one can look at their existing heating source – most of our homes are run on gas boilers, and most run too hot – we heat our hot water and then mix it for showers and baths – which is inefficient and creates additional carbon emissions. There is guidance from the Energy Savings Trust on how to reduce emissions, and one tip is on how to reduce the flow temperature of your boiler. Also, regularly servicing your boiler will make sure it is running efficiently. The big way of reducing carbon emissions is to swap your boiler for an ASHP – expensive but there is government help to do this, and if done correctly will reduce emissions significantly. Then, if you’re commissioning an architect for an extension or new house, or even to retrofit your home, ask to insulate more than the minimum Commissioning ...
