House Planning Help Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ben Adam-Smith
Ben Adam-Smith explains why he plans to take on a new mission, and why that'll mean a slight change of direction and more collaboration.
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Bill Butcher and Chris Herring, founders of 21 Degrees, share details of their own group build, a small terrace of three homes in Marsden, West Yorkshire, designed and built to Passivhaus Plus standard.
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Jon Broome and Nick Grant explain why they have written The Good Building Book, what's in it, who it will help and how best to put it all into practice.
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Janna and Seb Laan Lomas explain the ethos behind their self build which blends low energy design and natural building while reducing plastics in the construction and also minimising waste. The level of detail, the decisions made and the careful use of the budget have been instrumental in delivering this fantastic project, which makes a great home for them as well as a site that encourages wildlife.
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Mark Lynn from Eden Renewable Innovations explains how sheep's wool insulation is made, outlines the pros and cons, and suggests how it is best specified and installed. He also shares some common traits of natural fibre insulation as a category.
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Mark Doodes from Mark Doodes Planning explains what we mean by applying for planning permission to demolish and rebuild a house, how it is done, what some of the challenges might be and how to do as much as possible to improve your chances of a successful outcome.
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Dr. James Glockling explains how insurance works and outlines some of the challenges of insuring a natural building.
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Hugh Franklin from Aeroseal UK explains how the airtightness of a building can be improved using a water-based, low VOC atomised polymer which is delivered when the building is pressurised. This simpler approach speeds up the process of air sealing and gives real-time feedback on the airtightness score.
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Elly Deacon Smith and Kirk Rushby from Arbor Architects explain why they consider the embodied carbon of their projects, how they do it and how it is balanced with competing factors.
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Marion Baeli, author of "Residential Retrofit," offers hands-on experience of designing and retrofitting high performance homes. As well as drawing on her personal retrofit she shares the lessons learnt from revisiting properties that took part in the Retrofit for the Future competition over a decade ago.
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Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company gives us the lowdown on natural earth floors, explaining what the components are, how they are mixed and the process of installing them. He also outlines the benefits and limitations, and highlights what makes them a great choice for an eco home.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares a few thoughts about what to look for in a plot of land for a low energy house build.
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Es Tresidder from Highland Passive explains what an air-to-air mini split heat pump is, why he believes it's a good choice for heating a high performance home and the various pros and cons of going down this route. He also reflects on one of the toughest stages of his retrofit when they took the roof off the existing dwelling and then faced torrential rain.
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Having spent the last few years working within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, John Palmer explains how building regulations are made and what their role is within the construction industry.
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Will South from Etude takes us step-by-step through the retrofit of his Victorian terrace house in Brighton, which has improved the health, comfort and energy efficiency of the property.
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Joshua English, co-founder of Okom wrks labs shares his journey into the creation of a mycelium-based composite material, which has structural and load-bearing properties.
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Architect Kirsty Maguire shares her experience of designing and building her own Passivhaus on a challenging sloping site in Newport-on-Tay, Scotland.
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Sally Godber, a Director at WARM consultancy explains why reducing the risks on her own Passivhaus project was so important, what that entailed and how it enabled her to deliver a healthy, comfortable and energy-efficient home on budget.
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Andy Mitchell, Managing Director of 21 Degrees, explains what factors influence human comfort and how we have tried to make our homes more comfortable through the years. Embracing building physics has been a turning point and while we have the knowledge and skills to create healthy and comfortable homes today, it's still not the default approach. So Andy outlines the options available to get yourself into a better home.
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Ben Nother, a Director at Hawkland Group, explains the two different roles of Principal Designer in meeting building regulations and addressing CDM health and safety. He also reflects on how this has been integrated into their processes.
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Phil Neve explains what Passivhaus Premium is and why he chose to target the standard for his own self build in Somerset. He also talks through his biggest project challenge, which was obtaining planning permission to build in open countryside.
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Heather Johnson from AD Practice explains what Passivhaus Plus is, how it differs from Passivhaus Classic accreditation and what benefits achieving the standard will afford. She also reveals why most of her clients target 'Plus' and outlines the steps to achieve this on a project.
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Stephanie Kyle from Floyd Slaski Architects explains how we can design for disability, gender, religion, and anything that’s considered a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. She also highlights the biggest challenge of inclusive design which is people’s differing needs, and suggests how we best go about designing spaces.
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Guy Harris from AccessiblePRS explains why accessible housing is important, what the key considerations are and how to deliver it well. He also shares his experience of designing his own house as a wheelchair user.
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Toby Cambray talks about the experience of working on his own retrofit project, and the lessons learnt in the process.
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Toby Cambray talks about the risks associated with moisture in buildings, and the modelling techniques – like WUFI® – that can be used to assess those risks.
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Mike Whitfield shares his experience of running a local construction company that specialises in Passivhaus. He explains how the business is structured, and what tasks are tackled on a daily and weekly basis.
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Mike Eliason talks about his book, Building for People, and the massive opportunity we have to create better places through being more intentional and thoughtful.
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Laila Dudhill explains some of the challenges she faced when planning her new build home at the bottom of a sloping field. Not only did she have to deal with drainage across the site, diverting the natural flow of water away from the house, but also come up with a foul drainage strategy that would off-set phosphate discharge into the local watercourses.
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Katherine Adams and Connie Spoor talk about the circular economy and construction, and practical strategies for making reuse a priority on housing projects and self-builds.
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Chris Brookman from Back to Earth explains what wood fibre insulation is, how it could be used on a project and why careful specification is required.
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Florence Collier, founder of Humblebee, takes us step-by-step through the deep retrofit of her 1970s home. She explains the costs relating to each measure and the cumulative total as the project advances.
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Toby Diggens explains what it takes to meet the requirements of the Living Building Challenge, and working to the standard when renovating an existing building.
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Toby Diggens, founder and co-director of Digg and Co outlines how we can all contribute to creating ecologically diverse and resilient landscapes to combat climate change and biodiversity loss.
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Furniture maker Lucinda Leech shares her story of building a modest, but beautiful eco home.
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Howard Johns, founder of One Zero, outlines their home energy transformation service which includes topping up insulation and adding solar PV, battery storage and a heat pump.
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Cypren Edmonds, a housing activist and advocate for bio-based building materials, describes the challenges he has faced living in social housing in London, and the health benefits and energy efficiency that can be achieved through building with straw.
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Kareem Dayes, co-founder of RUSS in Lewisham, explains why setting up a Community Land Trust was a route to deliver genuinely affordable housing and create a better neighbourhood.
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Greg Byrne from RB Asbestos Consultants explains what asbestos is, why it was used so widely in construction, its potential impact on health, and how you go about identifying and removing asbestos products.
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Clare and Ross Booth from Coldwells Build share details of their prefabricated, turnkey Passivhaus designs that aim to simplify the delivery of high performance homes in Scotland.
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Paul Testa from HEM Architects explains the difference between renovation and retrofit, using his own home as an example of a deep retrofit.
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Richard Hollas from 21 Degrees explains why regular MVHR maintenance and servicing is essential, what it entails, and we accompany him step-by-step as he services a unit.
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Paul Morris from Solar-Shield explains how external shading can help control solar gains and reduce internal temperatures, keeping your home cool as temperatures rise.
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Tom McSherry from BuildStore explains the importance of cashflow when it comes to building a house and why a big part of selecting the right mortgage product is about planning your project around your budget and making sure you have accurate costings.
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Judith Leary-Joyce shares her experience of retrofitting a Victorian end-terrace house to reduce energy consumption, make it more healthy and comfortable, and leave a sustainable legacy for future generations.
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Kym Mead from Mead Consulting explains what Passivhaus certification is, how the process works and why there is a difference between certified Passivhaus buildings and those that just adopt a 'Passivhaus principles' approach.
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Lloyd Alter explains the term upfront carbon, its relevance to us all as consumers, and why he felt compelled to write a book on the topic.
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Tilmann Kramolisch from natureplus explains why their eco label was established, how materials and products are assessed, and what it means to use a natureplus certified product on your project.
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Speakers from the Passivhaus workshop event at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre in Swindon each share a top tip.
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Neighbours Wookey and Rob Leedham explain why they were motivated to retrofit their homes, how they built up knowledge and why engaging with others on a similar path has been extremely useful.
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Linda Farrow from Agile Homes explains how their prefabricated panelised system can deliver high quality and truly affordable homes that are good for the planet.
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Ben Adam-Smith explains what value engineering is and how it can help us to do more with less. He reflects on a short video about Slate House in Herefordshire that includes some great examples of value engineering.
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Meredith Bowles from Mole Architects shares his experience working with timber as a construction material and explains the benefits and drawbacks of the different build approaches.
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Alexx Stuart from Low Tox Life shares her experiences of toxic mould exposure and offers some advice on how best to keep your home healthy and mould free.
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Amelia Lee from Undercover Architect shares some common themes that tend to crop up on owner-builder projects (particularly with people who are doing this for the first time) and explains how they can be avoided by creating a clear foundation of your values and project intentions.
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Andy Marlow from Envirotecture explains why Passivhaus homes are a good fit for most climates in Australia, how they approach these projects and what is needed beyond shading to keep the homes comfortable when the outdoor temperatures soar.
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Sarah Lewis, the Research and Policy Director at the UK Passivhaus Trust and author of PHPP Illustrated, explains what the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) is and how it is used during the design process.
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Janice Gardiner, an ecologist and the client of last week’s interviewee Josh Wood at Green Trace Architect, is here to tell us what it is like to be the client on a Passivhaus project and share what she has learnt from the experience.
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Architect Josh Wood gives us an insight into his own self build project, where the balance between keeping costs low and creating a sustainable home have pushed him to come up with creative solutions. By undergoing most of the work themselves, Josh and his partner Amy have been able to transform their snug, back garden plot, into a comfortable and energy-efficient home. Josh explains how thinking outside of the box may be an excellent option if you are looking to get on to the property ladder with a smaller budget.
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Architect Kirsty Maguire explains why reusing an existing building is always preferable to demolishing and rebuilding. However, when buildings are in terrible condition or need radical alterations to make them habitable we should be looking to reuse, recycle and reclaim as many materials as possible. Kirsty shows us that with intentional and sustainable design, you can create a new structure with a wealth of history.
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Jae Cotterell, founder of Passivhaus Homes, explains the importance of the choices we make when considering our construction approach. It is possible to create a high performance home with low embodied carbon that doesn't cost the earth if we understand the process, where the impacts lie and where optimisation can make a huge difference.
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Andrew Jones explains how to reclaim VAT on a self build home or conversion as well as sharing some common pitfalls to avoid.
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Mark Brinkley, author of the Housebuilder's Bible, explains how his book can guide you towards building a better home. He also shares some of the themes that have cropped up while he's been editing the latest edition.
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Luke Smith from Build Test Solutions talks about making building performance measurement more commonplace, and how you can't manage what you don't measure.
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Dr. Derek Taylor talks about advances in wind and solar power over the last 50 years.
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Ben Adam-Smith marks five years of living in his Passivhaus home by reflecting on his self build journey and what the house has been like to live in.
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Anne Thorne talks through the architectural design process of Cannock Mill Cohousing community.
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Jonathan Dixon talks about incorporating home automation into a Passivhaus retrofit of a 1960s detached house, built using cross wall construction.
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Ludka and Brendan Powell explain the Welsh ‘One Planet Development’ scheme and how it led them to building an off-grid, straw panel Passivhaus.
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Tom Gwilliam explains what Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are, how they are created and why they are unlikely to be a useful measure of how energy efficient a building is.
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Alan Clarke explains the role of a mechanical services engineer on a low energy house build, in designing a heating and ventilation system that works efficiently and is affordable.
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Andy Moger, from Tetlow King Planning, explains the role of a planning consultant and the benefits they can bring to a project.
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Beth Williams from Build Collective outlines the role of a structural engineer and explains what tasks might be undertaken on a house build.
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Martin Twamley from Steico explains how to use breathable internal insulation, while avoiding the risks of condensation and mould.
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As someone with no previous interest or skills in DIY, Passivhaus Consultant Es Tresidder explains why he went about changing that for his own deep retrofit project.
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Landscape Architect and Director of HLM Architects, Simon Bell, explains why he decided to upskill when it came to building his own house.
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Mark Siddall explains how thermal bypass – or air movement around insulation layers – might impact a self-build or retrofit project.
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Alan Budden explains how a phased retrofit might work and what preparation is required. He also shares how he's retrofitted his own home, which includes trialling an innovative roof solution.
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Influential podcaster and heating systems expert, Nathan Gambling, explains why choosing the right installer is even more important than selecting the heat pump.
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Homeowner Guy Hargreaves reflects on adapting and expanding his Victorian mid terrace home, retrofitting the whole building to EnerPHit standard.
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With price hikes being caused by the volatile energy sector, Paul Ciniglio from the National Energy Foundation explains what we can be doing to our homes to reduce our energy consumption and be better protected from rising bills.
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Antoine Costantini explains how Kithurst Homes has embraced modern cutting technology to increase efficiency and minimise waste.
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Architect, educator and builder, Tom Woolley, takes us through some of the natural construction materials we should be using to build healthier homes.
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Jake Fitness of Self Build Zone explains what a structural warranty is, and why you might need one on your self build or renovation project.
Kit Knowles from Ecospheric explains why he is driven to keep pushing further in pursuit of sustainability in building projects.
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Lloyd Alter explains how we can take personal actions to address our own carbon footprints, and why it's more important to do so than ever.
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Mike Jacob explains how Kiss House is using timber component based production to deliver homes to the Passivhaus standard.
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Mike Coe gives a final update on his now complete Portree Passivhaus, that has seen budgets stretched, contractors disappear for a year, and a Covid lockdown! Check out the show notes for more information.
Gwilym Still, of Max Fordham engineers, explains how good planning and simplicity can improve a home's performance. Check out the show notes for more information.
Jeffrey Hart, natural builder and host of the Building Sustainability Podcast, explains what he's learnt designing and crafting his own tiny house.
Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture reviews the Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) of the RIBA House of the Year longlist and asks why we are showcasing poorly performing architecture. Check out the show notes for more information.
Juraj Mikurcik, Nick Grant and Mike Whitfield reflect on the award-winning Old Holloway project, which is built with EcoCocon straw panels and is a certified Passivhaus.
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Architects Polly Upton and Kirk Rushby explain how they used their expertise to deliver a striking, high performance home for a very reasonable budget.
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Tom Fenton from Veritherm explains how to test the thermal performance of a home, what this data can reveal and how it can then be used.
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Mike Webb explains why he chose to build to high ecological standards even though he could've made more money by just complying with building regulations.
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Nigel Dutt tells the self build story behind Devon Passivhaus, a Paragraph 55 build.
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Mick Woolley explains how the use of timber was a key element of his award-winning Passivhaus bungalow.
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Bruce Bell, founder of Facit Homes, explains why digital manufacturing has a lot to offer in the future of house-building.
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David Arrenberg explains why he wanted to project manage his self build, what the work entailed and how much of his time it took.
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Mhairi Grant and Martin McCrae share their self build journey. Their contemporary home seems to have it all, from striking design and great ecological credentials to high quality finish and value for money... but Martin and Mhairi had to work hard for it!
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Hattie Hartman, Sustainability Editor at the Architects' Journal, shares insights from her new book Energy, People, Buildings.
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As a way of celebrating our 300th episode we're doing something a little different.
Ben Adam-Smith reflects on the homes he's lived in and what he's learnt from living in them.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares his own experience of living with a mechanical ventilation system. While he's clocked up a few error messages on the unit and had more problems than most, he explains why he wouldn't want to go back to natural ventilation.
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Andrew Reardon from ProAktive explains the insurance options that are available to anyone carrying out a self build or renovation.
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Guy Hargreaves explains why he wanted to renovate his Victorian terraced house to Passivhaus standard and how this is going to be achieved.
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John Hernon from Thames Water explains the process of installing a new connection to a water main. He also outlines the role of water services company that delivers clean water and takes away waste water.
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Neil Clarke from UK Power Networks explains how to get mains electricity to a new build home.
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Adrian Reith explains why the joined up design, engineering and quality of a Baufritz home appealed to him.
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Zack Semke explains why he's passionate about facilitating the communication and flow of information around Passive House.
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Mark McCall and Scott McMurray explain what fully integrated home automation is all about.
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Werner Brouwer explains why being able to build a house without restrictions in Oosterwold is also about working together to build a community.
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Self-building an annexe in an area of coastal erosion meant a low-cost but high-performance build was a priority for architect Colin Rice.
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Author Roger Hunt explains why period properties need treating differently when it comes to achieving successful retrofit projects.
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Architect Russel Hayden explains how he sought to renovate a derelict 1960s house to EnerPHit standards.
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Russell Smith of Parity Projects explains why a whole house plan is the best way forward for tackling a renovation.
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Martin Brown from Fairsnape explains how the Living Building Challenge is a holistic standard that benefits health and the environment.
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Dr Judith Thornton of Aberystwyth University explores how plant-based materials are being used in the building industry, and why they are so important for our future.
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Calum Taylor and Opinder Liddar talk through the design and construction of the 'Self Build Education House' at Graven Hill.
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Tim Martel explains how to model the embodied carbon of your build using PHribbon, a tool that plugs in to PHPP (Passive House Planning Package).
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Nick Grant shares his thoughts on the lessons learned from 30 years of the AECB (Association of Environment Conscious Building).
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Tully Gallagher of Beartooth Passive House, explains what it was like to take a leap of faith in swapping a desk job with building a 'forever home' for his family.
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Chief Executive of the Passivhaus Trust, Jon Bootland, explains the processes and benefits of building your house to the Passivhaus Standard.
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Lee Fordham from Architype simplifies some of the terminology you might come across if you're thinking about doing a sustainable self build.
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Having worked on his own hands-on group self build project, and site managed others, Geoff Stow shares his experience on where to start when it comes to self build.
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Professor Fionn Stevenson explains why building performance monitoring and post-occupancy evaluation should be mandatory on new homes.
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Tracey and Roman Iwanczuk explain how they managed to build a Passivhaus on a sloping site in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
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With 14 projects under his belt, author and serial self builder David Snell explains how you can stop costs from running away from you.
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Award-winning Cork House was the world's first to use a solid cork construction system. Matthew Barnett Howland explains the concept and how he managed to build it himself.
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Architect Paloma Gormley of Practice Architecture explains how versatile hemp can be as a building material, and how plastic use can be reduced on site.
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Skipper and oceans advocate Emily Penn explains the damage that plastic pollution is having on our oceans, and how we can find solutions.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares some of the questions that got asked about the Passivhaus standard during a question and answer session at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre.
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Olga Turner Baker describes the WELL Building Standard and explains how the principles can be applied to improve health and well-being on individual projects.
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Chris Parsons returns to Ben Adam-Smith's self build home after a year to look for defects. He explains what snagging is, how the list is compiled and how the rectification process works.
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Self-builder and renovator Jason Orme reflects on the main challenges you face if you want to tackle a house build in the UK.
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Kevin McCloud from Grand Designs shares practical advice on how to approach an ecological build, and comments on how architecture needs to change to address the climate emergency.
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Client Ajay Boardman and her builder/carpenter Nigel Bowley share their experience of working together on her self build project. In addition to project managing Ajay is labouring for Nigel. We look at why this relationship has worked well and consider how much money she is saving.
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Jonathan Kearns of Kearns Mancini Architects, describes how he tackled a high performance retrofit of a century-old building.
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Mark Siddall from LEAP explains his framework the 'Forever Home Lifestyle' and how he uses it with his clients.
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Harry Paticas of Arboreal Architecture explains why care and hard work have been so important to the retrofit of his 1978 mid-terrace townhouse.
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Dr Mike Page explains how The Cube micro home project developed and why land availability turned out to be a major issue for those that liked the idea of tiny house living.
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Duncan Baker-Brown from BBM Sustainable Design explains how we can reduce waste on our projects, given a little more time and with a different approach on site.
With the construction industry being such a big contributor of annual waste, he also shares strategies for how we could transform things if we treat buildings as material banks, which are built with deconstruction in mind.
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Managing Director of Potton Homes, Mark Stevenson, looks at how self build, custom build and speculative development differ.
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Mike Coe has a progress report from Portree Passivhaus, which is now almost watertight. We pick up the story as the groundworks begin and look at some of the challenges as the superstructure has gone up.
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Neil Sutherland explains how using a design, manufacture and delivery company can give you a better quality of construction.
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Ben Adam-Smith runs through the biggest problems you could face on your self build journey. He also looks at what can be done in those situations.
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Tom Heywood from Green Building Store explains why we need mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in high performance homes and why it needs to be well designed.
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Chris Herring, Director at Green Building Store, explains why careful consideration should be given when specifying windows.
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Jeremy Lent, author and integrator, looks at how and why we should transform the fundamental basis of our civilisation.
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Property developer and podcaster, Rob Bence, advises on what's needed for undertaking a successful building development project.
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Chris Magwood, a director at the Endeavour Centre in Canada, explains the importance of embodied carbon and how building with plant-based materials could transform our new homes into carbon sinks.
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Charlie Luxton shares lessons he's learnt from visiting projects on Building The Dream, running an architectural practice and completing his own self build.
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Ben Adam-Smith picks out ten of his favourite new build homes. These are all homes he has visited and which have impressed him in different ways.
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Danny Luhde-Thompson explains why he chose to demolish the bungalow he was renovating, to build a contemporary Passivhaus.
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Resident of Marmalade Lane cohousing, Jan Chadwick, explains why living in a multi-generational community is so important to her.
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Bill Butcher from Green Building Company, the construction division of Green Building Store, explains how they tackled two radical retrofit projects in West Yorkshire. Each took a 'whole house' fabric first approach in order to improve comfort levels and reduce the heating bills.
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Paul Ellis, Chief Executive of Ecology Building Society, explains their approach to mortgages that reward energy efficiency and sustainability.
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Elinor Olisa explains why her family's health was always paramount to the decision making on this build.
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Tiny house and lifestyle blogger, Jenna Spesard, explains why she didn't want to spend her life working to pay for a house, but instead wanted a house that would work for her.
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Architect and author Sarah Susanka explains why bigger isn't always better when it comes to building a house.
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Phil McGeevor, Chair of Cannock Mill Cohousing, describes the 12-year journey it's taken to realise their cohousing community for older adults.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares 10 tips for creating a budget, which is detailed and realistic.
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Ben Adam-Smith runs through a few ideas of how to get started on your self build journey.
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Matthew Cutler-Welsh takes us through three exciting projects that are making an impact in New Zealand.
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Architect Adam Cohen explains how his modular construction system is making Passive House building simple and affordable.
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Architect Richard Dudzicki explains the tricks and challenges of designing a £500,000 house on a £250,000 budget.
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Ben Adam-Smith's house build was a core part of House Planning Help. Having completed the project in 2018, Ben Adam-Smith looks at what should come next.
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Having recorded an audio journal the whole way through his project, Ben Adam-Smith plays back some key moments so you can hear what is involved in a self build within a single podcast episode.
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Having completed his house build this year, Ben Adam-Smith evaluates his own performance as a self-builder.
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Self build consultant, Mike Hardwick, explains the pros and cons of different construction systems.
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Ben Ribbans is a self-builder who decided to take on more and more responsibility during his project. He explains how he gained the confidence to do this, and why research and planning are vital to success.
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Interior Designer Gabrielle Blackman explains how, when planned properly, good interior design should take the owner's personality and stamp it on the house.
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Martin Brown explains how this ancient material can be used in the modern world.
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Straw Works co-founder Barbara Jones explains the different methods of building with straw.
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Having had his last site meeting, Ben Adam-Smith explains what they are and how they fit into the construction process when building a new house.
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Air leakage expert Paul Jennings looks at how best to achieve that all important airtightness when using particular construction methods.
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With a matter of weeks until he moves into his new home, Ben Adam-Smith shares a list of ten things that he's excited about.
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Architect Andrew Goodman explains what it took to create the UK's first load-bearing straw bale Passivhaus home.
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Rob Wiggans explains how you can minimise risks when buying land for development.
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Dean Scott takes Ben on a tour of the Graven Hill development, and of his own energy-efficient self build.
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With the first phase well under way and residents already moving in, Karen Curtin, Managing Director of Graven Hill Village Development Company, talks through the process of finding and buying a plot at Graven Hill.
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As Ben Adam-Smith's build enters the final few weeks he reviews his project's schedule and sequencing. Although a lot of the detail pertains to building a masonry wall Passivhaus, it still serves as an example of the stages any house build might go through.
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Mike Coe provides a progress update on his second self build project, with finances being stretched as construction is set to begin.
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Ben Adam-Smith looks at why self build projects often eat into the budget set aside for landscaping. This includes Ben's new home where initial garden plans have been put on hold!
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Alex Baines explains the impact a mid-construction delay has had on him, his family, and his Long Barrow Passivhaus project.
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Ben Adam-Smith chats to his wife Kay about what it's been like building a house. She never wanted a new build, preferring to buy a period property instead. So why did she agree to do this? And what can we learn about trying to get a partner on board with a self build?
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With decades growing his knowledge of self-building, Mark Brinkley shares some of the surprises, challenges and joys involved.
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Ben Adam-Smith reflects on what he's learned so far during the construction phase of his self build.
The project is halfway through and the finished house will meet the Passivhaus standard.
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Rob Wiggans shares his expert tips on how to find a plot of land for a self build project.
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Steven Thompson, from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, explains why it can be sensible to have a contract, and what type you might need for a self build project.
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John Fenwick discusses the challenges of building his award-winning Passivhaus with an atypical form.
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Mark Feldman of MARS Building Ltd offers an insight into how he prices up potential new jobs (including when he's invited into a tender process).
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Liz and Mike Hill explain the decisions behind the design of their contemporary eco home.
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Marlen and Tony Godwin explain why it was important for their modern, minimalist Passivhaus home and office designs to be sympathetic to the neighbourhood.
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Ben Adam-Smith looks at some of the reasons why his tender returns might have been so high. He then sits down with his wife Kay to consider possible savings.
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Chris Parsons from Parsons+ Whittley outlines a traditional procurement route. And Ben and Kay Adam-Smith receive their tender returns.
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Robert Flynn from Solarbarn explains how to choose a solar array to suit your needs.
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Architectural technologist Dan Higginbotham from Parsons + Whittley Architects talks about producing construction drawings and a scheme of works from an architect’s design.
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Five self-builders explain how they came to build their houses on the edge of a developer estate.
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Author and self-builder Will Anderson talks about realising his self-build dream not once but twice!
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Building Services Engineer Alan Clarke explains how he has designed and specified the ventilation, heating, and hot and cold water systems for Ben's new house.
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Ben Adam-Smith reflects on how he's changed while making 200 podcasts about self and custom building. He also looks at how the podcast has changed with him.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares 20 insights about self-building that he has learned while making 200 podcasts and also tackling his own project.
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Self-builder Oliver Smallman tells us about planning, building and living in his London Passivhaus.
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Interior designer Emily Bizley explains how she and her husband, an architect, co-designed their RIBA shortlisted self-build home.
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Jon Martin explains how he beat the odds with his extraordinary self-build tree house.
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Lucy Pedler, architect and founder of The Green Register, talks about the importance of good communication throughout a self-build project.
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Gordon Lewis explains what cellulose insulation is, how it's applied and why self-builders can benefit from choosing it.
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Paul Testa from Paul Testa Architecture talks about how to predict the costs of a house build and shares his tips on limiting a self-build budget.
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Simon Corbey from ASBP shares some of his research into the costs and life cycle of plastic windows and suggests some considerations for self-builders.
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Michael Holmes from NaCSBA explains the Right to Build initiative and how it will impact on the future of custom and self-builds.
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Lloyd Alter from TreeHugger shares his advice on what we should be prioritising as 21st century self-builders.
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Ben Adam-Smith explains how he and his wife have been specifying their new home (which will be built to Passivhaus standard).
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Actor and TV presenter Robert Llewellyn shares his insights about the future of electric cars and energy production.
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Richard Hawkes from Hawkes Architecture tells us about the exceptional circumstances in which planning for rural new builds may be granted.
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Will Kirkman from Ecomerchant shares the key results of a survey the company ran to find out what self-builders worry about most.
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Ben and Kay Adam-Smith have a difference in opinion over which windows to specify for their new build Passivhaus home. While Ben is keen to minimise mullions, transoms and window frames, Kay believes this takes away from the aesthetics.
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Ben Adam-Smith reviews what it took to be granted planning permission for his new Passivhaus home.
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Donal O’Leary tells us about his self-build in Ireland and shares advice for a successful project.
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Buckinghamshire Passivhaus has become one of the most airtight buildings in the UK. As such, we consider what factors contributed towards their exceptional result of 0.08 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals.
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Justin Broadbent from ISO Energy explains the options available for extracting energy from water on your plot of land.
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Jack Harvie-Clark from Apex Acoustics provides an overview of acoustics in the home. He also explains how we might go about controlling noises and soundproofing.
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Ben Adam-Smith runs through the main options of where to live while your new home is under construction. While there's potential to save a lot of money it should not impact significantly on your comfort, state of mind or key relationships.
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Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants explains why connecting to mains drainage is generally the best option for a new build home. She also runs through some alternatives if this is not possible.
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Clare Whitney from Clayworks explains how clay plasters are made, their applications and why we might choose them over other wall finishes.
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Architect Ruth Butler shares the story of building a contemporary Passivhaus on an overlooked, brownfield site.
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Dennis and Nicola Merrigan talk about the highs and lows of their Passivhaus self-build project, sharing lessons learned.
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Ben reviews the journey from briefing to planning stage for his own self-build project, with their architect Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley.
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Ben and Kay Adam-Smith visit their architects Parsons + Whittley to discuss how to move their project forward. There are decisions to be made over which designs to pursue, what materials to embrace and how to address the various constraints (including bringing down the height of the building).
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Dr Michaela Benson from Goldsmiths explains how our housing needs change through life and why the concept of a forever home is often not realistic.
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John Palmer from Enhabit explains what happens if you choose not to go all the way to Passivhaus standard, including how this impacts on cost, energy efficiency and comfort. He also outlines a best practice approach if you are going to build with Passivhaus principles.
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Elina Grigoriou from Grigoriou Interiors talks about design, wellbeing and sustainability, and the role of interior designers.
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Michael Campbell from Spratt Endicott Solicitors explains the key stages that need to take place in order to buy a piece of land for a self build project.
Ben also chats through some of the challenges he faced during his plot search and subsequent land purchase.
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Clare Nash from Clare Nash Architecture shares various responses by small developers in the UK and abroad to the challenges of creating modern communities through better design.
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Allan Corfield from Allan Corfield Architects (ACA) explains how his approach to services and fees differs from traditional architecture practices in the UK. He describes the staged services his practice offers, giving indicative costs.
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Simon Corbey from the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) shares some thoughts of what makes a healthy building product.
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7 self-builders reflect on the key things they wish they'd known before starting their projects.
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Ben and Kay Adam-Smith receive initial sketches of their new home from their architects Parsons + Whittley. They then feedback to John over the phone.
Chris also outlines how this stage works and explains why it is so important.
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Belinda and Paul Wilson share what they’ve learned from their Passivhaus build. Paul also explains the responsibilities of the Principal Designer and why he decided to take on this role himself.
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Andrew McInulty from Ready Made Basements explains the main reasons people install basements. He also shares the challenges of building below ground and how they are best addressed.
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Ben and Kay Adam-Smith sit down with Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley to run through the brief for their self build project.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares what he's learnt during the process of hiring an architect for his self build project.
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Master thatcher, Stephen Letch, tells us about the history of thatching, the materials and techniques involved, and how it can be used today.
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Ben Adam-Smith comes clean with his project progress! After two and a half years of looking, he has finally managed to buy a plot of land upon which to build his eco home.
However, the process of buying the land was perhaps not the joyous occasion he would have liked. In this solo episode he shares what he's learnt.
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Architect and author Pat Borer shares insights from his teaching career at the Centre for Alternative Technology as well as what he's learned from his own practice (which has helped hundreds of self-builders).
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Architect James Galpin from HazleMcCormackYoung shares insights into how Mayfield Passivhaus was designed and built.
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Lisa Kerslake from the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management explains how self-builders can encourage wildlife to flourish on their plots.
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Jeremy Harris explains why he chose not to use an architect or designer for his self build, and how he managed to do the job himself. He also shares some of the challenges that he came up against.
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Jeremy Harris, a scientist by background, wanted a low energy house for his retirement. He talks about the initial stages of his self-build project: finding a plot of land and obtaining planning approval.
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Phill Skill explains what building regulations are and how we comply with them.
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We re-run an interview from 2014 with Stephen Gurney, who explains what causes poor airtightness test results and how they could have been avoided.
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We re-run an interview from 2013 with Sarah Susanka, author of the Not So Big House.
Check out the show notes for this podcast.
We re-run an interview from 2012 with the co-founder of the Passivhaus standard, Dr Wolfgang Feist.
Mike Coe and his partner Lizzie created one of the UK’s most energy efficient homes. Now they’re looking to sell and start a new project elsewhere, they’re finding that they will have made a loss. Mike discusses why that might be, and whether it will change the way he thinks about his next self build.
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We are currently following the progress of Buckinghamshire Passivhaus with video updates in The Hub. In order to provide some background to the project, we spoke to its architect, Janet Cotterell, about the reasons behind her clients decision to completely rebuild the house, rather than follow their original plans of refurbishing it to Passivhaus standard.
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We have been following Alex Baines’ Long Barrow Passivhaus self build project in previous podcast and Hub episodes. This time we catch up with him to use his experience of working in the renewables industry, together with his current role as a Passivhaus consultant, to understand how renewables and a fabric first approach can be balanced when building your own energy efficient house.
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Until fairly recently Paul Buckingham was carrying out airtightness tests on volume built houses. He explains how his role was to make the house pass the test, not about making the house energy efficient.
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Dean Scott and his wife Hannah have never found anywhere they liked enough to buy and have long had a dream to self build instead. With the release of plots at the Graven Hill development in Oxfordshire, they are now looking to start the process and get building!
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As part of Ben Adam-Smith's video work, podcasts and meeting with other self builders, he is often asked questions about the Passivhaus standard that he doesn't know how to answer. He recently took the opportunity to put those questions to Elrond Burrell, as well as finding out about Elrond’s future plans as he gets ready to move back to New Zealand.
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It can be difficult to know who to approach at your local authority, other than the planning department, if you’re looking to self build. And if you get a knockback where do you take it from there? Emma Osmundsen from Exeter City Council explains who you should be talking to and how working co-operatively and collaboratively could help with your plans to self build.
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Building a 94m² Passivhaus with no south-facing glazing, on an infill plot in a conservation area posed many challenges! However architect Bernard Tulken’s Lansdowne Drive Passivhaus won a 2016 UK Passivhaus Trust Award. In this case study he talks us through the constraints and decision making involved.
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Three self builders explain their next steps after struggling to find land upon which to build their new homes.
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Ben Adam-Smith reviews the key decisions that may have led to failing to build an energy-efficient home within his desired 4-year timeframe.
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Marine Sanchez is a building physics engineer and a Passivhaus Designer. She helps explain what a Passivhaus Designer does, when you might need one and how they work within a design team.
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Andrew Collinson explains what the role of structural engineer entails. He also runs through his most frequent tasks on housing projects, outlines how he might interact within a team and gives tips for how to find good structural engineers.
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A quantity surveyor can add far more value to a project than just working out how much your project is likely to cost. Jerry Thomas explains the role of a quantity surveyor, when you should employ one and how it could benefit your self build.
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Tomas Gartner describes building biology as “a more holistic approach to achieving sustainable, low energy buildings with a more human focus." He explains how it is nothing to be feared or fanatical about, but is a sensible approach to understanding the risks and trying to improve them wherever possible.
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Integrated design is a way of a design team working collaboratively on a project from the outset. Architect Charles Grylls and Passivhaus Consultant Nick Grant explain how their team works and the benefits it has for the client, as well as for future projects.
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Initiated by Cherwell District Council, the Graven Hill Village Development Company are providing opportunities for self builders to create their own homes on a 1900 plot site, on land previously owned by the Ministry of Defence near Bicester. Philip Singleton explains the scheme and what potential customers can expect on their ‘customer journey’.
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Ben Adam-Smith shares what he's learnt from visiting 6 self build projects, each shortlisted for the UK Passivhaus Awards 2016.
Regen Media produced 6 video inserts for the ceremony and this gave Ben the opportunity to visit these homes. Now he reflects on each project and the key takeaways.
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Tom Gresford likes to use auctions as a way of finding interesting and quirky development sites. He bought an old water tower at auction to build his latest project, Chieveley Passivhaus, which was shortlisted for a UK Passivhaus Award 2016. His intention was to show that you can build beautiful, modern houses in the Passivhaus way.
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Angie and Paul Dallas wanted to build a comfortable, energy efficient home for their retirement, using land at their existing property. Paul was also keen to be as hands-on as possible, but their decision to build to the Passivhaus Standard, which he didn’t have experience of, left Paul needing to create a role for himself.
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Paul Foulkes explains how building automation systems differ from smart home technology, how they can improve energy efficiency, and why the KNX non-proprietary system can help a building adapt to the needs of its occupants.
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For the past few years Peter Schneider has been looking into how the Passivhaus standard can be introduced to modular homes being built at local factories in the Vermont area of the United States. He explains how they are trying to educate people to realise the benefits and life cycle cost savings of having a better built, energy efficient home.
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Robert Young explains why he decided to build a home for his retirement at the end of the garden and what steps were necessary to create this low maintenance, high comfort dwelling.
There was also one significant constraint on this plot, a mature lime tree, which could not be removed. Ultimately this led to the curved house that was designed.
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Lisa Jackson is a planning consultant and together with her husband, who has a background in construction and planning, set out to build an energy efficient home. What they created was a timber frame home built to the Passivhaus standard.
Lisa shares her experience of the process and is also able to provide useful tips about getting through the planning process.
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In 2012 Cambridge City Council advertised for potential members for a new cohousing scheme on a plot of land within an existing development. Chris Wilson was struck by the idea of building a consensus based community and is now Chair of the K1 cohousing group. He talks to us about the processes they have gone through to get the scheme to its current stage.
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Helen Brown heads up the building physics department at Encraft. Her main area of interest is in low energy construction in new build housing, with a particular focus on Passivhaus.
Based on various research and monitoring methods she is able to explain the differences between actual energy consumption compared with their designed intent.
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Ben Adam-Smith outlines 5 strategies for taking your land search into your own hands.
If you have been struggling to unearth a plot for your self build and have time to invest, then these proactive strategies could help you get your hands on something that others have missed.
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Simon Sturgis has been studying carbon emissions in the building industry for the last 8 or 9 years. He uses his experience to look at the scenarios of when it might be best to demolish and rebuild, or whether retrofit might be a better option. He also explains how new buildings should be created with their ‘circular economy’ in mind.
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Andrew Michler has been living off grid in the Colorado Rocky Mountains for over 20 years. He has had a long interest in sustainable design and as well as completing a book about how sustainable architecture around the world responds to its conditions, he has also created Colorado’s first certified Passivhaus home.
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Potton have a history of serving the self build market and are currently building a Passivhaus show home. They are making the details of the build available through their Self Build Live events and are running courses through their Self Build Academy to help people through the self build journey. Paul Newman explains why they’re doing this, and also what lessons they’ve learned from the construction of their Passivhaus show house.
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Like Ben Adam-Smith, Michelle is a podcaster who is keen to build her own home and is sharing the information she learns along the way with her audience. In this episode she and Ben discuss how some of the challenges of the self build market compare in the UK and the US, and also some of the best things about their respective housing industries.
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With Ben Adam-Smith struggling to find a plot of land in his town, he has decided to try a new approach and dedicate a full day trying to tap in to local knowledge. He shares the tips he was given and concludes with how successful his day was in progressing his self build plans.
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Together with her team at Passivhaus Homes, Janet Cotterell has been developing their PH15 system for building houses to Passivhaus standard. She explains the differences between kit and system approaches and why there should be more available on the UK market.
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Thomas Honour is a mortgage adviser for BuildStore, who are mortgage brokers specialising in projects such as self builds. Self build mortgages differ from traditional ones, and Thomas explains some of the products available and what you are likely to need to secure finance for your project.
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Harvey Fremlin is Managing Director of the National Self Build and Renovation Centre, where they have trade exhibitors, run courses and generally provide impartial advice on all things self build. Harvey talks us through the different things to be thinking about when you’re choosing your building materials.
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Keen to focus on the professions involved in a self build project, in this episode we’re looking at architects. Adrian Dobson has worked at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) for over 10 years and is their Executive Director Members. He was a practising architect himself and still gives lectures and seminars to students and architects in practice. Adrian explains the benefits an architect can provide, and gives advice on how to find the right one for your project.
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David Snell is author of ‘Building Your Own Home’ and writes regularly for ‘Homebuilding & Renovating’. The last time we spoke to David he was working on his 14th and ‘final’ self build project. He has since decided to return to Gloucestershire and is now working on his 15th! With so much experience to draw upon he is able to give examples of what to look for when selecting a plot of land, and how you can tell whether it’s the right one for you.
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Mike Whitfield, of Mike Whitfield Construction, has been focused on creating energy efficient houses in Herefordshire since the 1990s. He explains why building high quality, low energy buildings requires different skills and mind-set to traditional construction, and gives advice on how to find a builder who is up to the task.
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Freelance writer and author of Housebuilder’s Bible, Mark Brinkley, has been writing about how to build houses for over 20 years. Now embarking on a new self build project of his own he is aware of how terrifying the process can be! He shares with us some of his experience of how to create a budget, and what you can do to make sure you stick to it.
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David Olivier has over 30 years of experience working with architects and engineers, advising on energy conscious design. In 2012 he moved into his own passive solar self build house and shares with us some of what he has learnt professionally, and personally.
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Tara and Dimitri had allocated £350,000 for the purchase of land and costs for building their Gloucestershire home. They explain how they worked with their architect and builder to manage their budget and pass on tips for what they learnt along the way.
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Phill Skill is Lead Business Consultant at Stroud District Council, and for 10 years before that he was their Head of Planning. He talks us through the terminology and processes involved that might apply to a self build project.
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Nick Grant explains why his childhood “make do and mend” mentality has given him a lifelong passion for doing more with less. Combined with a background in engineering he demonstrates how value engineering can be applied to a house building project.
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Ben Adam-Smith reviews where he is in his own self-build process and discusses the reasons why there will be some changes to future podcasts.
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Cesar Abeid has recently written a book called ‘Project Management for You’. He explains how his simple steps approach to project management can help bring an idea into reality, whether in your personal or professional life, and how this methodology can be applied to organising a self-build project without being overwhelmed!
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Ben Adam-Smith has been frustrated by his lack of progress in finding a suitable building plot and has been wondering whether there is anything he can be doing in the meantime to help his project. Kirsty Maguire of Kirsty Maguire Architect Ltd explains the steps that he could be taking now to put him in a stronger position for when he has a site and the project goes live.
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Jon Broome from Jon Broome Architects explains how to create sustainable neighbourhoods and why they make better places to live. He also shares progress on a group self build scheme in Lewisham, London, which is embracing these principles.
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Professor Phil Jones from the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University explains how SOLCER House exports more energy to the grid than it uses and addresses fundamental issues relating to affordability, buildability and performance. With governments around the world committing to deliver zero carbon housing by 2019, this project has been designed from the outset as a practical solution.
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Prewett Bizley Architects specialises in low energy architecture and Bob has a particular interest in retrofit. He explains that housing is responsible for around 27% of the UK's carbon emissions, so buildings of all ages and styles have a part to play in terms of energy efficiency.
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Arun, Nicki, Donal, and Glen share their stories of how they successfully bought their plots of land. With four case studies to evaluate from three different countries, there’s lots to be learned from our guests today.
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Geoff and Kate Tunstall explain how they were able to create a fantastic Passivhaus in Denby Dale with a modest budget of around £150,000. They also share how they got caught by a 6-inch ransom strip and what options were open to them.
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The residents of Fintry, Scotland, were approached back in 2003 by a developer that was looking to set up a wind farm in the area and was seeking local support. After years of negotiations the community agreed to the wind farm on the proviso that they install an extra turbine on the site, for the Fintry community. The wind farm developer paid for the additional turbine, which the community are gradually buying back over 15 years, together with paying maintenance, interest and land rental costs.
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Michaela Benson is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London. She has spent the last three years working on a research project called 'Self-Building - The Production and Consumption of New Homes From the Perspective of Households'. She wanted to understand the diversity of the houses people build, their motivations for doing it and their experiences of the process. Her interviews with twenty individual self-builders and five group projects during that time have led her to notice characteristics that these people share.
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We catch up with Alex Baines, a Passivhaus consultant who you may remember from episode 74. We spoke to him then about how gaining support for his semi earth-sheltered rural self-build from his local community helped him achieve the necessary planning permissions. Almost a year on we spoke with him again to see what progress he has made on the build so far.
Check out the show notes to see some pictures of the progress.
It has been almost a year since Luke Mahon took ownership of a new-build developer house, which he soon discovered lacked insulation! He talks us through his experience and the ongoing battle to get the house completed.
See the full show notes: http://www.houseplanninghelp.com/99.
Architect, builder and Passivhaus Consultant, Christina Snyder shares the story of the experimental zero-energy Passivhaus self-build that she and her husband have undertaken in Michigan, and explains why they are in no rush to complete it.
Peter Warm from WARM: Low Energy Building Practice explains why building to Passivhaus standard is desirable, how certification comes into the equation, and what steps will increase your chances of reaching certification.
Kara Rosemeier from Passive House Academy New Zealand looks at why natural ventilation leads to little control of ventilation. She also shares why the Passivhaus approach is the logical step forwards.
Harold Orr reflects on why the Saskatchewan Conservation House was a landmark on the road to high performance buildings.
Brian Murphy from Green Building Encyclopaedia runs through the most common types of insulation and explains why they each have strengths and weaknesses.
Tad Everhart, an energy adviser from Portland, Oregon, shares his story of building a house . . . which he retrofitted 10 years later after learning about Passivhaus. We find out why he was motivated to take on the challenge, how he went about it and whether all the hard work was worth it.
Professor Tom Woolley from Rachel Bevan Architects explains what hempcrete is, how it is mixed and applied, and what the pros and cons of using it are.
Tomás O’Leary from the Passive House Academy explains why he became an early adopter of the Passivhaus standard and also shares why we need to take every opportunity to retrofit existing buildings, even if it is a phased approach.
Darren Macri from Bleu Nest is a certified Passivhaus builder and consultant, and he explains what this means and how putting together a team who have had training is likely to benefit your low energy build.
He also has insights into his own house build which is nearing completion.
Bjørn Kierulf from Createrra explains how you can have the best of both worlds, using almost entirely natural materials to create a house that reaches the Passivhaus Standard.
Jay Shafer from Four Lights Tiny House Company gives us the lowdown of tiny house living. He explains why he initially made the choice, how different life has been since and why he has never looked back.
Jay also shares practical advice of what you need to know and do in order to transition to a smaller house.
Andrew Peel from Peel Passive House Consulting explains why the quality assurance procedure is at the heart of the Passivhaus standard. He also feels the process can be useful to improve any building, even if not striving for the standard.
Dylan Lamar from Green Hammer explains how design ideas are communicated in various different ways, from sketches drawn by hand to sophisticated computer models. He also shares the design process at Green Hammer, and how and why house plans evolve.
Sofie Pelsmakers, environmental architect and doctoral researcher at University College London (UCL), busts 10 common environmental design myths. This also serves as a good introduction to The Environmental Design Pocketbook.
Clare Parry, Director of the Australian Passive House Association, explains what it means to work on Passivhaus projects in different climates. What, if anything, changes?
Author Michael Mobbs reflects on what he’s learnt about sustainability over the last 20 years. From living without a car and bringing key services in-house (his home is not connected to mains water, mains electricity or mains drainage) to growing his own food and being careful how he spends his money, Michael considers how effective he has been.
David Winterton from Sydney-based consultancy Ecological Design gives us a rundown of solar photovoltaic (solar PV). We find out how it works, what the key considerations are and why prices of PV panels always seem to be coming down!
Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants explains what rainwater harvesting is, why it’s useful and how to get started.
If you haven’t heard our first podcast interview with Cath on the topic of saving water, check that one out first!
Paul Jennings from ALDAS talks through some of the findings from the airtightness tests we carried out as part of our documentary.
Mark Chesney from Beam Vacuum & Ventilation explains how houses have become increasingly airtight and why this has had a significant impact on energy efficiency. He also shares why having a good ventilation strategy is so important.
John Butler tells the story of how he retrofitted a bungalow to be more energy efficient. Having carried out a lot of the work himself, he also shares what he's learnt about airtightness and overheating.
Jackson Moulding from Ecomotive tells the story of Ashley Vale, a group self build scheme in Bristol, UK, that initially had to fend off a large developer in order to secure a plot of land. The will of the local community was instrumental in making this happen.
David Sharpe from Thomasons explains what the foundations are, why they must be site specific and how they could impact on the design of a building.
James and Dani McDonald reveal why they were drawn to HUF HAUS, how the process worked and why they have become very loyal to the brand.
Alex Baines talks through the plans for his semi earth-sheltered home, to be constructed to Passivhaus standard, and explains why involving the local community in the early stages was essential in gaining the relevant permissions.
Richard Oxley from Oxley Conservation explains why understanding an old house is such a vital first step to take before upgrading its performance.
Tim Nicholson reveals why he chose to retrofit rather than build new and, having selected a suitable property, what the strategy was and why. Tim has also been blogging about the experience on his website Oxford Green House.
Alastair Parvin explains how WikiHouse has developed and why it is so significant when it comes to enabling more people to build affordable, high quality homes.
Jake White from Ecotecture shares the story of The Curly House, an award-winning project that was built using insulated concrete forms (ICF). He explains what an ICF is, why there are benefits in terms of speed of construction and durability, and why most concrete structures have the potential to be extremely airtight.
Rory Bergin from HTA Design LLP explains why building standards are devised, the pros and cons, and why people adopt voluntary standards. He also gives an overview of the Active House standard.
Dusty Gedge, founder of Livingroofs.org, explains the benefits of installing a green roof, how it can be simple and why lots of people get swayed by commercial systems.
Graham Hunter from Parity Projects explains how data collected from one of their energy assessments is then turned into a report of options for the homeowner. This follows on from episode 60 which trailed Graham as he conducted an assessment.
Stephen Gurney from Ecological Building Systems explains the main causes of poor airtightness test results.
Alan Budden from Eco Design Consultants explains how simple design decisions can drastically alter the energy performance of a house and why this means your designer needs to be using a tool like the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) to better inform these decisions.
Ken Levenson from 475 High Performance Building Supply explains what overheating is, why it happens and how to deal with it.
Doug King explains what smart energy systems are, how they work and whether we should be embracing them in our new homes.
Building services engineer Alan Clarke explains what factors should be considered when choosing a heating system for a low energy home.
If the idea of going 'off-grid' excites you, then perhaps now is a great time to be doing it. We live in an era where the cost of items such as solar panels is continually dropping and this is juxtaposed with fossil fuel reserves that deplete day by day.
While you may even be forced off-grid if you move to a remote location, does it make sense going off-grid if you have perfectly good access (for example, in a town or village)? And with different grids -transport, gas, water - which is the easiest to unplug from?!
In this discussion (which was one of our Google+ Hangouts) we discuss some of the issues surrounding going off-grid.
The Panel
Mike Coe, who lives in the Cropthorne Autonomous House (and was our guest in episode 54).
Paul Scheckel, author of The Home Energy Diet and The Homeowner's Energy Handbook.
Ken Silverstein, an business journalist who specialises in writing about energy
Graham Hunter from Parity Projects conducts an energy assessment of a country house. He talks through the process as he goes about it and explains how the collected data will be used.
Andrew Farr from Green Building Store explains what qualities mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) should bring to a house. He also shares how to make sure you get a system that is properly designed, installed and commissioned.
Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley architects shares his experience of the costs behind Passivhaus.
Interview with Chris Parsons
Chris Parsons from Parsons + Whittley architects has always had a focus on making buildings as efficient as they can possibly be. With the issues around global warming and trying to reduce carbon emissions, this is why they found a great synergy with Passivhaus.
Joe Atkinson explains how the LILAC cohousing community came together and why their project is affordable for everyone.
Piers Taylor from Invisible Studio Architects explains what a build system is, why you would use one over another and whether any are preferable when it comes to creating low energy houses.
Steve Mouzon from Original Green helps answer a question (from Frank Wiley) about what houses we should be building in areas that are prone to hurricanes or other extreme weather.
Mike Coe lives in an autonomous house with his partner Lizzie Stoodley. He shares the story behind this self-build project and why it’s ultimately left them with a deeper connection to their environment.
Mark Tiramani, the self-builder behind the UK’s first certified Passivhaus, shares his experience of building Y Foel and how this got him interested in the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP). He explains what PHPP is and why it’s a valuable tool.
Lisa Ann Pasquale from Six Cylinder Limited explains what thermal imaging is and how it can be used in quality assuring the construction of low energy buildings.
In this special episode Ben Adam-Smith explains why he wants to crowd-fund a documentary about airtightness, what it will entail and how you can help.
David Snell, author of Building Your Own Home, shares advice on acquiring land, building up a skilled and reliable team, and keeping contracts simple. He is currently building his 14th house!
David Rudlin from Urbed explains what collective custom build is and why it would be beneficial to build more houses this way.
Sarah Lonsdale, an eco columnist for The Telegraph, shares a list of 30 home improvements she has made to reduce energy bills, and save energy and water. Ultimately Sarah would like to build a new home (such as a Huf Haus or Passivhaus) but in the meantime she explains the benefits of incremental upgrades.
Ian McKay from BBM Sustainable Design shares how to find a property that will lend itself well to an eco retrofit.
He also contrasts two very different projects, the retrofit of a 1960s terraced house and the upgrade of a Victorian villa from the 1890s.
Diana Woodward explains how her house was first modelled on a computer and then the 3D digital information was transformed into exact physical replicas. The components were fabricated out of WISA board on-site using a mobile manufacturing facility.
Upgrading your property so that it is more comfortable and costs less to run makes sense. If we're serious about tackling climate change then retrofitting has to be undertaken on a huge scale. So if it looks good on paper, why are very few people doing it?
In this discussion (which was one of our Google+ Hangouts) we consider some of the barriers that may be putting people off.
Mark Siddall from LEAP (Low Energy Architectural Practice) explains the circumstances under which poor ventilation can occur and why the control strategy becomes increasingly important the more airtight the building is.
David and Penny Learmonth share their experience of building an ultra low energy home on a budget. They also project managed this themselves.
Fran Bradshaw from Anne Thorne Architects shares her experience of building an ultra low energy home using natural materials such as straw bales, lime render and clay plaster. The house is also aiming for the Passivhaus standard.
Ben Adam-Smith looks at some of the essentials that you need to understand if you are going to create an energy-efficient house. There is more detail in Ben's new e-book: Why Most People Don't Build Energy-Efficient Homes.
Martin Holladay from Green Building Advisor talks about the pros and cons of the Passivhaus standard. He also explains why he believes the German standard is not the best approach for the North American climate.
Mark Elton from Sustainable BY Design explains what a phased retrofit of a house entails and the steps necessary to make it a comprehensive set of measures. He also shares his views of which properties make the simplest and most cost effective retrofits.
Bronwyn Barry from One Sky Homes explains the evolution of windows and why modern windows are really pieces of equipment. She also shares what's involved when it comes to choosing high performance windows for a project.
Jason Orme, editor of Homebuilding & Renovating, shares some of the key challenges that self-builders face and what can be done to make sure they don't become pitfalls. He also explains how custom build might be a good option to explore for those who want a bespoke home but without the same level of risk.
Cath Hassell from ech2o consultants shares why saving water - particularly hot water - is something we should all be doing. She also explains how we can achieve this in our houses through a mixture of technical solutions and behaviour change.
A lot of the information in this episode is specific to the UK. This is because it became difficult to keep answering in general world terms because in each country it would be slightly different.
Lloyd Alter, Managing Editor of TreeHugger, explains how worldwide trends in green building have developed. He also shares his tips for self build success as well as some pitfalls to avoid.
Architectural designer Wilf Meynell explains the concept of environmental design and why it is not the same thing as low energy design. He also shares how he has tried to balance these two approaches in one of his upcoming projects, Springfield House.
Douglas Kent from The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings explains how to look after period properties and what advances are being made with conservation techniques in order to achieve greater energy efficiency.
Tim Hulse from EcoVert Solutions explains what insulation is and why there are often trade-offs to be made when selecting insulation.
Architect, planner and author Graham Towers explains the fundamentals of housing density and why we really need to get it right in future developments.
Mark Wilson from BuildingDesignExpert.com shares why he believes there is no such thing as a sustainable material and why it is our environment we are really hoping to sustain.
Architect and author Sarah Susanka shares why scale is such an important aspect to consider when building a house. She also explains how a 'not so big' philosophy can be applied in many areas of our lives.
Mark Westcombe, one of the founding members of Lancaster Cohousing, explains the cohousing concept and why creating an intentional community like this has many benefits.
Mike Jacob from Trunk Low Energy Building provides an insight into the benefits of hiring a project manager for a house build. Also Ben Adam-Smith reflects on the UK Passivhaus Awards 2013.
Paul Jennings from Aldas explains why airtightness is an important factor to grasp when constructing an energy efficient home. He also shares how forward planning, attention to detail and teamwork are imperative for achieving good airtightness results.
Elrond Burrell from Architype helps bust some of the common myths that surround the Passivhaus standard.
Jonathan Hines from Architype explains the concept of eco-minimalism and also the very different approach that guides them as a business. We discover how this design philosophy has helped shape an exciting new scheme of 150 Passivhaus homes for the village of Kingstone, Herefordshire.
One the day this podcast was published the development - in conjunction with ArchiHaus - was granted planning approval! N.B. Our interview with Jonathan was recorded on 20th March 2013.
Kingsley Barraclough shares his experience of building a house and explains why he decided to use structural insulated panels (SIPs).
Mark Saich from Green Building Solutions gives an insight into why straw bale building is becoming popular. He also addresses some of the issues that we may harbour around the safety and durability of this low impact and low carbon material.
Matthew Cutler-Welsh from Home Style Green explains some of the challenges of creating sustainable urban systems. He also shares his goals as a podcaster, including championing healthier, better homes for New Zealand.
Andy Simmonds from Simmonds Mills Architects explains ventilation in the home, why it's important and what the options are if you're looking to retrofit a property for energy efficiency.
Mark Brinkley considers why the UK has the smallest proportion of self build across Europe and what changes might need to occur if we wanted to adjust the balance. Mark shares why Germany's system is more likely to lead to higher standards and communities that embrace development.
London's Ecobuild has just concluded for another year and Ben Adam-Smith shares his experience of the event. In this episode he chats to four people he met there - Janet Cotterell from Passivhaus Homes, Jon Bootland from the Passivhaus Trust, Jo Gooding from the UK Cohousing Network and Robert Stern from Litmus Films.
Justin Broadbent from isoenergy explains what a ground source heat pump is and how it could be used as a solution to make a period property energy efficient.
What's more important - preserving heritage architecture or retrofitting it to high energy efficiency? In our first forum on a Google+ Hangout we discuss some of the issues.
The Panel
Writer and blogger Roger Hunt (who appeared in our 10th podcast)
Writer and Passivhaus consultant Adam Dadeby from Passivhaus Homes (who appeared in our 5th podcast)
Homeowner Ross Atkin (who has recently retrofitted his Victorian house)
Ben Adam-Smith shares an idea he has about using the Internet to communicate the need for incremental lifestyle change as an action to combat climate change. This one-off episode focusses on how you could use content marketing to get your message across. Cesar Abeid from The Construction Industry Podcast is Ben's guest and helps explain how content marketing works.
Bill Butcher from Green Building Store shares his approach to creating a low energy barn conversion by building a box within a box. Stirley Community Farm will meet the EnerPHit standard.
Jason and Lucy Reeve share what preparation was necessary to commission their new-build home and Ben Adam-Smith considers what's more important in renovation, preserving the past or creating a sustainable future.
Dr Derek Taylor from Altechnica weighs up the pros and cons of various renewable energy sources and shares his thoughts on whether you should be generating at home. He also talks about his role in creating one of the UK's most energy-efficient homes.
Dr Brenda Boardman reflects on the world's energy situation, climate change and the growing problem of fuel poverty. She gives practical advice on how this affects building or renovating a property.
Roger Hunt explains how to make a period property energy efficient without damaging the building or creating problems for yourself in the future. Also House Planning Help gets its first guest blogger, Paul Mallion from Conker Conservation.
Alex Rice, Senior Engineer at Green Tomato Energy, explains that there are few technical challenges that remain when retrofitting a period home into a low energy building and it is a case of how you apply those solutions to the given building.
Tom Pakenham from Green Tomato Energy describes the practical challenges of making a Victorian house energy efficient. Plus how passive house principles helped a Norwegian explorer in the 1890s.
Tahir Sharif talks about how he built up his knowledge in order to commission an energy efficient home, while Ben discovers some great thinking from the Home World Exhibition of 1981.
Ted Stevens, Chairman of the National Self Build Association in the UK, gives his advice on how to find a good plot of land at a reasonable price. Plus, why Almere in Holland could be a blueprint for other large scale self build developments across the world.
Adam Dadeby from Passivhaus Homes talks about some of the challenges he faced when retrofitting his own home to the Passivhaus standard. He's also co-author of a new book called The Passivhaus Handbook.
Dr Wolfgang Feist describes how better energy efficiency opens a path to making us less dependent on fossil fuels and we have that knowledge now.
Pat Wilkinson from Touchwood Homes reveals why he decided to build to the Passivhaus standard and there's a resource for young industry professionals who might just be completing their architecture degrees or building training etc.
Martin Evans from The Malthouse Consultancy talks about energy efficiency and Ben Adam-Smith sets up a consumer mastermind group on LinkedIn to collate the good and bad of house design.
Ben Adam-Smith explains his motivation for creating this podcast and there's an interview with Simon Lewis, Managing Director of RW Armstrong, a residential builder in the South East of England.