Technical

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.…

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…

Low and zero carbon technologies – what does this mean and what are the options?

Carbon-neutral and Net-zero Carbon are two similar terms. In both cases, parties are working to reduce and balance of their carbon footprint. However, Carbon-neutral refers to balancing out the total amount of carbon emissions, while Net-zero Carbon means no Carbon emission from any activity. Most of the industries and governments become Carbon neutral through the…

What is a Mechanical Ventilation With Heat Recovery System (MVHR)?

Put simply, MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy that has already been used in heating the air and building. This is different to most natural ventilation scenarios where stale hot air (from kitchens and bathrooms) is simply exhausted outside along with the…

Triple Glazed Windows: Are they the future?

In the ever-evolving world of architecture and sustainable living, the quest for energy efficiency has led to innovations in building materials, with windows becoming more important in the pursuit of greener, more sustainable homes. Walls, floors and roofs have come a long way, so for windows, the next step is triple glazing. The transition from…

Heat Pumps: Is This The Future of Home Heating in the UK?

As concerns about climate change intensify, heat pumps are much talked about in the media. The spotlight on sustainable low-carbon technologies grows brighter, and heat pumps emerge as potential green heating solutions. But, what exactly is a heat pump and how do they work? You may not know much about them and they tend to…

10 Things To Avoid When Building Your Dream Home

Building a house is a complex and costly endeavor, and mistakes can be both financially and emotionally taxing. It will likley be the most expensive undertaking of your life. Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid: 1. Poor PlanningInadequate planning can lead to design flaws, budget overruns, and delays. Thoroughly plan every aspect of your…

QM Audit Passed!

We are very pleased to announce that we have passed our annual QM audit this year and the practice remains fully QM 9001 and QM 14001 certified through our accreditor QMS Connect. ISO 9001 is a Quality Management System Standard that is recognised throughout the world. It’s a powerful business improvement tool, providing the framework…

The Use Of Zinc For Homes & Houses

At Thinking Buildings we often use zinc elements in our residential projects. It is a versatile material suitable for various architectural styles and design applications. It can be used in contemporary, traditional, and historical building projects, looking equally appropriate and attractive in various contexts. Zinc has a long history of use in construction. Zinc’s earliest…

The Top 10 Passivhaus Myths

In the UK we have become so used to living in high energy consuming, draughty or stuffy buildings that most people find it hard to imagine how they would feel living in a Passivhaus. Here are the 10 most common misconceptions: A Passivhaus doesn’t rely on the occupant to open the windows as the mechanical…