The RPS design team in Bristol specialises in green technology in housing design and the embodied energy in building materials. The team has a special interest in the importance of eco-design and utilising intelligent technology as part of an environmental solution.

The team aims:

• to provide tailor made design solutions in response to client needs, ecological aspirations and to suit statutory criteria using past experience and innovative ideas
• to produce best practice solutions, recommending excellent ratings for the BREEAM and EcoHomes assessments
• to promote the use of sustainable, environmental friendly materials, renewable energy and resources
• to employ a considered design approach in order to achieve an overall balance of economies, sustainability and architectural significance.

The team’s commitment to promoting ecological, sustainable and environmental architecture is underpinned by the need to operate responsibly through the use of statutory requirements such as up-dated building regulations.

Designs have included the following environmental and sustainable aspects:

• water recycling and conservation: SUDS-sustainable urban drainage systems, rainwater butts and grey water recycling
• use of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials
• passive whole house ventilation
• solar water heating
• heat and light collecting conservatories
• utilising heat storage within dwelling mass to balance out extremes
• micro CHP boilers (optimising heat and power supply offering capability to sell back to the National Grid)
• photovoltaics.

Examples

Dark Green Housing
This example, in Binley, Wiltshire, for the Kingfisher Housing Association, features a pair of semi-detached 3-bedroom houses built as a pilot scheme to further the housing association programme of Green housing technology.

Dark Green Housing

The primary aim was to reduce CO2 and toxins. The houses use at least 50% less energy than conventional new houses and have a calculated CO2 emissions level under 10kg/m2/yr. With the wood burning stove, this translated to £1/wk heating costs. The houses were insulated to twice the current standards using ‘warmcel’ cellulose recycled newsprint as insulation.

Additional features were: water conservation (grey water recycling system), use of environmentally friendly/sustainable materials: masonite system structure, cedar cladding, recycled roof finishes and recycled demolition rubble, passive whole house ventilation, solar water heating and a heat and light collecting central conservatory.

Seaton Solar Village

This sustainable development for 75 houses in Plymouth, for Westbury Homes, uses ‘Passive Green technology’ and was assessed using the BREEAM EcoHomes assessment rating in which it obtained an excellent level of performance.

The site layout is a function of the contoured nature of the site and its southerly aspect is arranged in terraces to gain the most sun. Passive technology relies on a careful balance of solar gains against controlled heat losses. The scheme utilizes heat storage within the structure of the dwelling to balance out extremes.

The units are designed to be adaptable for differing uses and there are a number of components and variations that fit into the cross wall structure. Not only can elevations be modified and varied but internal re-arrangements can be made to suit changing lifestyles and family situations. Garages can become workshops, offices or granny flats.

Seaton Solar Village

Crews Hole Road

This is a sustainable high-density flatted development, on a brownfield site in St Georges, Bristol, for Bristol Carpet Manufacturing Co. The economical use of the sloping south facing site resulted in terraced rows of flats with a glazed southern façade and a heavily insulated northern façade with smaller openings therefore less heat loss. The southern façade is designed as a ‘double skin’ with an inner layer of glazing and an outer layer of shading louvers and balcony framing.

The natural slope has been taken advantage of by the provision of undercroft parking cut into the hillside. The development offers a choice of sustainable transport options and is designed to be pedestrian and cycle friendly. There will be water conservation devises such as SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) and rainwater collections butts.

Crews Hole Road

Ashlands Phase 1

This bespoke contemporary development in Milton Keynes, for Persimmon Homes, was designed to produce a high-density urban scheme with a waterside location. Micro CHP boilers optimise heating and power supply offering the capability to sell back surplus energy to the National Grid. Links with sustainable transport and user-friendly pedestrian/cycle routes have been designed as an integral element of the project. There is also water recycling and conservation via SUDS and reuse of grey water. Ashlands Phase 1 The building facades are high performance composite render systems and Western Red Cedar timber cladding; the roofs are high performance mono-pitch structures incorporating next generation photovoltaic panels; the glazing systems are composite aluminium/timber with low E glass. PVC-U has been intentionally ruled out in favour of sustainable/recyclable materials.

Ashlands Phase 1

Notes:

The integrated services of the Bristol office with other disciplines, such as the sustainability team in Brighton and environmental consultants in London and Oxford (the latter office has a licensed eco-homes assessor) enable RPS clients to benefit from a comprehensive service from inception to completion for all aspects of sustainable design and specification. RPS is committed to minimising the environmental impact of development throughout the world.

For more information contact:

the Bristol office
Tel: 01454 853 000

If, after reading this article, you think RPS Group could offer you new career opportunities which build on your particular field of expertise, click on this link to our recruitment site and submit your enquiry online: www.joinrps.com.