Purpose. The reasons for wanting to help others create home.

— 5 July 2024

A Sustainable Philosophy in how we need to change the way we design buildings.

Hurricane Dorian from space on 2, September '19 by NASA Astronaut Christina H. Koch

‘The time has come to seek a shift in the way we design and detail buildings. In truth, it came a long time ago given the principles of Environmental Design have changed little in decades!

There is an almighty ball of gas in our sky, fiercely omitting harvestable energy for sustainable consumption by the inhabitants of Planet Earth!’

I have been privileged to be educated to postgraduate level by a collective of Sustainability Specialists and Practitioners at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Now is not the time for excuses! It is time to change our approach to how we design and facilitate Architectural and Urban interventions.

For the past twenty years, I could count on two hands how many clients have cited Sustainability at the top of their agenda. This is somewhat unfortunate… the time, however, has come to realign our practice of architecture to contribute to the much-needed reduction in carbon depletion. 

Buildings, unfortunately, consume extreme quantities of energy. Also, large quantities of carbon are depleted through the manufacturing of construction products and processes on-site. Buildings also consume energy during their lifespan, which in turn has a direct financial effect on their inhabitants.

How will we make a difference?

For a start, let us be sensible. Let’s design buildings that maximise energy from the Sun, whilst reducing unnecessary overheating caused by unwanted Solar Gain. The simplest steps in the initial Design Process fundamentally affect the way the buildings perform.

Let's design out such problems from the onset. We can even limit the need for heating or cooling when adopting the principles of Passivhaus.

Sustainability in the Design Process

I assess and measure building performance and calculate a building’s energy consumption for all projects.  


I implemented the Building Information Modelling (BIM) software ArchiCAD nearly seventeen years ago. With an integrated plugin, we can test and assess the most basic of massing volumes upon a site or even, get a better understanding of how an existing building works before considering any adaptations.


Past and existing clients will know that we always start with a Sun Path Diagram to get a deeper understanding of how the sun’s movement and potential of solar gain will impact a building and its external spaces.


A thorough design process creates a functional building and enhances the life of its inhabitants, not only for today but equally for the generations of tomorrow.


An Architect is best equipped to interoperate and test a wide range of principles and technical aspects in the design of buildings. This is one of the many reasons individuals and organisations benefit from commissioning an Architect. I believe their input contributes an unmeasurable value to any project.

‘In simple terms, don’t skimp on design - champion the design process to maximise your investment.’