Thinking Buildings

Passivhaus &
Low Energy
Home Designers

Low energy consumption homes and houses

With rising energy costs and increasing awareness of the climate crisis, there’s no surprise that there is growing interest in making our homes as low consumption as possible.

There’s a lot of information out there, and decisions to make. Do you want to go Passivhaus? What even is Passivhaus?! What’s the difference between ground and air source heat pumps? Do I have to have a house that looks a certain way? With all these questions, it’s difficult to know where to start.

That’s where we come in, to help guide you through the options and find the right solutions for you. Our guide below sets out various factors to consider, gives examples from projects we have built with clients, and, we hope, helps you feel confident in working with us on your project.

Passivhaus? Low energy? What’s the right standard?

There is no fixed standard for a low consumption house in the UK. Building Regulations set out the UK minimum requirements, which are guiding towards improvement, but are by no means world leading. Passivhaus accreditation is generally the industry gold standard, which offers several levels to suit a variety of projects, but also comes with associated costs to achieve that certification.

At Thinking Buildings we specialise in low energy homes, which sit somewhere between these two extremes. We focus on excellent external fabric quality with high thermal performance, high airtightness and minimal thermal bridging. Coupled with a controlled Mechanical Ventilation & Heat Recovery (MVHR) system and a low energy, low temperature heating system this gives a building that performs very well for a much reduced energy consumption. We can draw on the most impactful elements of Passivhaus, guided by our in-house Passivhaus accredited designer Rachel, so that you can have the best possible quality of building.

Why is low energy consumption important and what benefits does it bring?

  • Reduced long term energy cost, although it does require some increased costs up front
  • Low carbon emissions over the life of the building
  • Excellent user comfort, the factors that drive low energy consumption also ensure a stable environment for the building occupants

Why is Passivhaus the “Gold Standard?"

Passivhaus buildings aim to provide a stable internal environment, maintaining a consistent temperature and air quality irrespective of the external weather conditions. This is done by making use of ‘passive’ influences, such as sunshine, shade and ventilation as the primary strategies to controlling internal environment. Or to put it another way, making best use of the “free” energy gains from the surrounding environment.

The benefits of making the most of these free energy streams are that Passivhaus buildings use a lot less energy for heating and cooling compared to a regular building meaning lower energy bills (and lower carbon emissions), warm rooms without any draughts in winter, and cooler rooms in summer, with cleaner, healthier indoor air quality.

There are 5 principles which a Passivhaus building is based around:

  • Continuous insulation envelope
  • Superior windows (usually triple glazed)
  • Airtight construction
  • No thermal bridges
  • Controlled ventilation
The green layer on this timber frame construction is the airtightness layer. Note the timber on top of that to form a service void for electrics and minor pipework. The is the construction stage of our Weedon project
View project
Externally, membranes are used to contribute to the airtightness of the construction. The fabric of the building is looked at holistically. This is the construction stage of our Weedon project
View project

Rachel Aspinall, Accredited Passivhaus Designer

Rachel is Thinking Buildings in house Passivhaus Designer. She joined Thinking Buildings in 2013 after having qualified as an architect in 2010.

Rachel has always had an interest in low energy and sustainable design, and this was a focus of her masters degree course, where she studied Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design. She was awarded the PRP Award for the best demonstration of sustainable design for her final degree project.

Having worked on numerous low energy projects at Thinking Buildings, Rachel decided to further her knowledge by undertaking and passing the Passivhaus Certified Designers course in 2021. She continues to advise the wider team to improve the design and construction of our projects to provide the best quality buildings to our clients, so they can benefit from low energy principles.

What might a house include to be low energy or Passivhaus?

Low energy Passivhaus
Improved thermal performance
Reduce cold bridges
Improved airtightness
MVHR system 		Optimum thermal performance
Eliminate cold bridges
High airtightness
MVHR system
High performance windows and doors
Solar control of glazing (glass specification & shading)
Consideration of solar orientation
Consideration of form factor

Low energy and Passivhaus buildings usually need dedicated plant room space to house the MVHR unit and larger water storage distribution equipment, so this has to be incorporated into the design from the outset. On the left is the plant room of our Weedon project, and on the right the same project where the MVHR outlets on the left side elevation are barely noticeable, but integral to the function of the building.

Does it cost a lot more to build a low energy house?

Designing and building a low energy home may initially have more of an upfront cost than that of a traditional house, however, this cost is recouped with the savings in lower energy bills and a more robust construction that will ensure longevity of the building fabric.

The largest increase in cost is the superior triple glazed windows, MVHR system and the increased thickness of insulation. Most of the savings in energy can be achieved through better detailing to eliminate thermal bridges and seal gaps within the fabric to achieve a better level of airtightness.

Other ways to achieve energy and carbon savings for no additional cost are the location and orientation of the building – can we maximise the solar energy by facing south? Are there any trees to help shade the building in summer? The form of the building can also have an effect on the amount of energy used – the more compact a building the less energy it will require. The complexity of the building form also makes it more challenging to eliminate thermal bridges and maintain a continuous airtight envelope.

On our Swindon project the north face of the building has smaller window openings to limit heat loss
View project
While on the south elevation, large sections of glass maximise daylight and solar gain in winter, while the overhang shades the ground floor to provide some mitigation of summer overheating

Does a low energy focus mean “boring” or standardised design?

There can be a preconception that a low energy building looks a certain way. That’s not actually the case. There are a few things that you could spot on a low energy house to give it away, but these would be things like smaller openings on the north (colder) face, maybe shaded windows on the south, or some vents that supply the MVHR system. It certainly doesn’t drive the look or style of the building. Unless you want it to.

A low energy house can look like any other house. It can be built from the same materials, using the same construction methods, whether that is masonry cavity wall or timber frame, or even a Modern Method of Construction. A low energy building is more about how the building goes together, the quality of the detailing, and the technologies that are put into it.

It’s what is going on under the skin of the building, rather than the face it presents to the outside.

This project in Kent was constructed in Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS), a Modern Method of Construction. SIPS are put together almost like flat pack furniture which means the structural element of the building goes up very quickly and has an excellent level of airtightness. It is then wrapped with a membrane and the outer skin constructed around it. After which you’d never be able to tell this house was not constructed using traditional methods.

Why work with Thinking Buildings?

If you’re interested in building a low energy home Thinking Buildings have the in house skills to help you. We have extensive experience in designing low energy houses, some of which you can have a closer look at below. We can guide you through the process of designing and constructing your building, to make sure that the energy performance is considered right from the outset.

If you really want to create the best possible performing building our colleague Rachel is a fully accredited Passivhaus designer, so we can take you from conception through to full accreditation of your Passivhaus. On a day to day basis, whether finally officially certified or not, with expert advice from Rachel we are designing our buildings to be more energy-efficient, beautifully detailed and carefully constructed.

Recent Low Energy Projects

Low Energy News

The Benefits of Timber Frames

Recently, one of our Directors, Darren, enjoyed a really interesting site visit to look at the progress of EW Estates development in Little Bourton near Banbury. The reason behind the visit was to look in detail at the Scotframe timber frame solution. Incredibly neat, tidy and super efficient – this is a great way to de-risk projects and…
Read more...

Why is Choosing the Correct Orientation for your Building so Important?

When designing a building, one of the most crucial factors influencing energy efficiency is the site orientation. This refers to the positioning of a building in relation to the sun, wind, and surrounding environment. It determines how the building interacts with natural elements, which influences its energy performance throughout the year. Careful consideration should be…
Read more...

Contemporary Family Home In London

We’re delighted a project in north London, which has been with us for over 8 years, is very close to completion. This project, for a new family home in north London, came to us after a failed planning application. The local planning authority have proved very difficult to work with, but after much persistence, we…
Read more...

What is a Certified Passive House?

By now, you may be familiar with the general concepts of what makes a Passivhaus or Passive House.  A high quality home which prioritises the comfort and wellbeing of it’s occupants through superior air quality, and which is energy efficient with cheaper running costs.  In order for a home to become certified, it must be…
Read more...

The Right Time for Heat Pumps?

The Passivhaus Trust have recently released best practice guidance on ‘The right time for heat pumps: decarbonising home heating in a staged retrofit’. Their document discusses the how and when to make the switch from gas boilers to heat pumps in order to avoid unintended consequences, such as increased running costs or a reduction in thermal comfort.…
Read more...

Integrated Photo Voltaic Panels

Here’s an interesting idea. Building integrated Photo Voltaic panels. What’s that I hear you ask? When it comes to fixing solar panels to a roof, it’s all about making sure they stay put, while also being mindful of the roof’s structure. For sloped roofs, which are the most common, roof hooks or brackets are securely…
Read more...

New House, Kent

This week, for pure indulgence, we bring you what is still one of our favourite views of this new house project in Kent. This image wonderfully illustrates how the house steps to respond to the sloping site. The interplay and separation of building form was also really important to minimise visual impact, perceived mass, and…
Read more...
Penkridge, Staffordshire modern home passivhaus standard timber cladding zinc pond reflection

New Case Study – Passivhaus Home

The latest addition to our detailed case studies is this fantastic house in South Staffordshire. The house replaced an existing cottage on the site, which had been repeatedly, unsympathetically extended, and suffered from damp, and poor insulation. The client asked us to use Passivhaus principals to create a modern, high-performance replacement dwelling. The local authority…
Read more...
RIBA & ARB

© Copyright 2025. Thinking Buildings Ltd. Cookie Policy | Privacy Policy | Website by Clockwork

Scroll to Top
Thinking Buildings
Facebook Instagram Linkedin

Do you have any questions?

We'd be happy to explain any of the above in more detail
Get in touch