It’s an office favourite today: gcp’s Hot Chocolate Bar!
With current social distancing in the office and homeworking, we weren’t able to do the Bar in the way we normally do. Everyone got a hot chocolate spoon with marshmallows in their box, we snuck in a baileys and some candy canes for thoe who fancied it too.
Quick catch up on teams with a hot chocolate warmed me up on this frosty morning & gave me lots of Christmassy feelings.
It’s Desk Decorating Day in the office (and home office) today! Will update with pictures as they arrive …
ELIZABETH HOUSE, HOLBORN
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“We have really enjoyed the challenges posed by this project to maximise the available lettable space of this office building in central London. Devising a method to add a rear extension and two storeys on the roof where the only access to the site is through a pedestrian archway was an interesting technical challenge requiring close coordination with a great project team”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Tom has chosen Elizabeth House, known in the area as Fulwood Place in Holborn.
In the midst of a pandemic, where the line between home and work life is blurred, it is important now more than ever to talk about our #mentalhealth and #wellbeing. It wasn’t too long ago when there was a stigma to these words. Some progress has been made as our understanding of the issues and ability to talk about it is so much better, but there is still more to do!
In October it was national work life week. It provided an opportunity to discuss our work-life-balance, wellbeing and mental health. We ran a series of activities to mark the week including daily brain teasers, a few games, a one million step challenge and we finished the week with a virtual pub quiz. The most important activity we held was a virtual coffee morning because although the activities were great fun, a huge part of mental health and wellbeing is communication and it asked the question, ‘although we see each other’s faces in meetings, how much do we actually chat and check in with how each other are doing?’
These weren’t one-off events, but something gcp are keen to continue to improve on. Since this week we have signed up to Thrive at Work West of England and have embarked on a two year commitment to improve and evaluate our working procedures in a way that puts keeping our team mentally healthy at the core of what we do.
“Having worked for Southmead Development Trust on three previous occasions (youth club refurbishment feasibility, 90kW PV installation on the Greenway Centre and the early stages of the Glencoyne Square development), I was really pleased to join up with a multi- disciplinary team of construction and housing consultants to prepare a long-term masterplan for their north Bristol site. This commission draws on the 30 years plus of experience in supporting clients similar to Southmead Development Trust and including sports facility design, integration of specialist housing and small scale business space provision. Having completed a high-level Stage 1 Options Appraisal the team have now been asked to develop the Stage 2 Masterplan”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of the year. Jonathan chose Southmead co-housing.
“It was really satisfying to have achieved Passivhaus certification for these lovely self-build clients, who put so much into building their home and achieved such a high standard of finish and detailing. It is a real pleasure to work on projects like this where the end result is all you hoped it would be.”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Colin has chosen Homelands Dundry, a private dwelling which was a self-build to Passivhaus certification.
Today it’s videos of Natalie’s children (aged 7 & 3) describing Christmas things for the team to decipher.
An old favourite returned to the advent today. The team were challenged to guess how many coins were in this jar. The scale rules weren’t allowed this year as the jar was home-working, but there were still a number of mathematical equations submitted along with the answers.
There were 299 coins in the jar & James Pilling was the closest with a guess of 275.
Today’s advent challenge was in the form of a coffee morning & a blind mince pie tasting.
“Known to generations of Bristolians as simply ‘The Water Tower’ this iconic landmark is located at the highest point in Bristol on Durdham Downs. gcp has been delighted to continue it’s long standing association with Bristol Water as assist in restoring this massive concrete structure to its former glory and taking in some breath-taking views in the process.”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Jeremy has chosen the refurbishment of the 1950s water tower for Bristol Water.
“I am proud to have been involved in this project as this is a community driven building, desperately needed in this active but underfunded area of Bristol. This has been in the making for several years and has had many challenges along the way. I am hopeful that the latest scheme being developed with the client, Ambition Lawrence Weston, will be the final design and we can get this building out the ground to provide a well-deserved functional community hub for future generations to enjoy. Public consultation is now well under way with responses due back by 8 December”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Tom’s favourite is the new community centre at Lawrence Weston Ambition Lawrence Weston.
gcp has secured planning consent to refurbish and extend Walwyn Gardens retirement housing in Hartcliffe, Bristol. Bristol City Council who own and manage the site appointed gcp to provide designs for this comprehensive refurbishment and upgrade of the 1960’s apartment blocks.
The building has suffered historic issues with damp and structural issues and requires substantial internal and external maintenance and repair works. Following a consultation event with the residents, proposals were finalized that will rejuvenate the site improving the quality and appearance of the site brining a new lease of life to these old buildings.
The following works are included in the proposals:
· Replacement of existing common room & ancillary facilities building including the addition of two new flats over and new lift in lieu of a ramp on ground floor
· Replace uPVC curtain walling enclosing the access walkways with new walls.
· Construct two new fire escape stairs on east wings of the building
· Improve energy performance and appearance of the building by over cladding the existing walls.
· Internal alterations to improve the accessibility of the building
· Landscaping of the gardens
The scheme is already out to tender, it is hoped work will commence on site in the new year.
One day earlier than normal, and still in November at that, team gcp got together on our weekly huddle-zoom to discuss planning for the week. But something was a little bit different this week. Over the weekend beautifully (or creatively!) wrapped boxes had appeared on desks or on doorsteps with this message: bring to huddle.
What followed, in a flurry of tinsel, santa hats, wrapping paper and giggling was the unveiling of the gcp Advent Box: a wrapped gift of goodies, quarantined and ready for a month of fun and challenges.
Box contents as follows: small biscuit tin (not to be opened 10.30 tomorrow), a strangely coloured candy cane, a Baileys miniature, a hot chocolate spoon, a paper plate, a small cardboard house (which rattles when shook, but is not to be open quite yet), a gcp recipe book and the items needed for today’s challenge…
Gingerbread Me
You will need: one gingerbread person & two stars (made by Sarah) and a set of icing tubes
Time: 5 minutes
Challenge: to decorate your gingerbread to look just like you!
Screaming, cursing, giggling, banter, complaining about the limited colour scheme and five minutes was all it took to create this beautiful lot:
In case you haven’t noticed: here at gcp we have a team with a love of competitive games.
In past years we’ve organised a “Christmas Avent” at the office. Throughout the month of December there is a daily task or challenge where we get to pit our mental, physical or practical skills against each other, to much cheer and merriment in the runup to Christmas.
2020 has been a tough year for everyone. Our close-knit team has really missed the normal pub quizzes, escape rooms and go-karting that give us the opportunity to have fun and connect with each other outside of work life. We think that having a team who genuinely like each other on a personal level is an incredible asset to the way we perform during business hours.
We couldn’t let the festive season pass us by without bringing a bit of cheer to the team. Though there was more detailed planning required this year with us working from home and in office bubbles, with help from a few of the team we were able to bring everyone the “gcp Advent Box”: a wrapped gift of goodies, quarantined and to be opened together on our weekly huddle.
If you want to know more about the challenges or to see the advent countdown, head over to our dedicated page, which will be regularly updated as we complete each festive task.
Above: Passivhaus myth-busting
gcp Chartered Architects have recently supported two members of the team to attend the AECB Passivhaus Designer Course and further develop their skills. Here, Olia Kyritsi about her route to sustainable design.
How did you become interested in Passivhaus design?
I have always been interested in finding out more about how buildings can provide conditions of comfort to their users in the most sustainable way. It is fascinating that ancient civilisations have been able to develop the wisdom required that allowed them to utilise the existing climate and protect themselves by extreme weather conditions, while living in harmony with nature (i.e. underground cave homes in Cappadocia).
Having completed my MSc in Environmental Design of Buildings and worked in the UK for 7 years, I feel frustrated to know that although nowadays there is so much expertise and knowledge available, most people live in homes that provide thermal comfort only by ‘burning’ big amounts of fossil fuels and polluting the environment.
Therefore, I decided to explore how I could use the Passivhaus standard as tool that will help me design good quality buildings that offer good living conditions.
Have your views about the Passivhaus standard changed since you attended the training course?
I have enjoyed attending the training course and finding out more about how a building that meets the Passivhaus standard can improve the everyday life of the users. I have realised how important it is to engage not only the full design team, but also the suppliers and the contractors from the very early stages of every project.
Which projects do you think could benefit by adopting the Passivhaus standards?
I believe every project could benefit by following the Passivhaus design principles. There are so many ‘easy wins’ that could be adopted across the construction industry and have minimum additional cost. We are all responsible for educating ourselves, supporting each other in the process and educating our clients accordingly.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children”
If you or your company are looking to build a Passivhaus project, get in touch by emailing mail@gcparch.co.uk or phoning our office on 0117 967 6286
Click here to for more information on Passivhaus projects completed by gcp.
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Above: 5 Passivhaus principles
gcp Chartered Architects have been developing their expertise in Passivhaus since 2011, when Colin Powell became one of the first Certified Passivhaus Designers in the area of South West.
We asked Colin to tell us more about his journey towards Passivhaus design. He busts some of the myths surrounding design and talks openly about benefits of living in a home designed to this standard.
What lead you in developing your passion for low-energy design and becoming one of the first Certified Passivhaus Designers in the area of South West?
From my first trip to the Centre for Alternative Technology in the early 80’s I have always been interested in alternative approaches to sustainable living and felt this was something Architects should actively promote. Later in my career I was able to study for an Msc in Environmental Design of Buildings and I started to find out about Passivhaus. I liked the way this cut through to an essential part of sustainable design – creating very low energy buildings – in an approach that was both rigorous and rational. I believe that architects should take a lead in this fundamental requirement for modern buildings as we are in a unique position to support clients to make informed decisions on these issues.
Has your opinion about the Passivhaus standard changed, having designed Passivhaus projects yourself?
No. I have continued to learn through our project work and some of the lessons have been hard, but I still think Passivhaus is a good standard and should be more embedded in statutory requirements such as planning and building regulations.
Is there a growing demand from clients to explore methods of low-energy design? If so, do you always recommend exploring the Passivhaus standard as an option?
I think there is a growing interest again, especially with so many local authorities having declared climate emergencies and recognising the part Passivhaus can play in meeting the challenges of zero-carbon buildings. Just using the principles of Passivhaus design, and the robust approach to thinking about building performance is a good start and I would always encourage clients to use this as a benchmark even if they don’t want to aim for a certified Passivhaus building.
Is building to Passivhaus standard more expensive?
There are some additional costs to Passivhaus, particularly for items such as windows and doors. The big problem is the lack of familiarity amongst contractors, who feel Passivhaus is hard to achieve which leads to higher costs. As designers I see an important part of our role is to simplify the design and construction so that it can be built as easily as possible. Several of our projects, both current and complete, are working within very tight budgets and have been completed at a cost that is not very different to a ‘conventional build. Passivhaus can be delivered in a cost-effective way but it needs to be designed and communicated well to ensure it is easy to build.
Which sector do you believe could benefit more from adopting the Passivhaus design standard?
I think all sectors should engage with Passivhaus as a design principle, using the design process as a tool to guide decision making on achieving low energy buildings. It would be exciting to see more public and commercial Passivhaus buildings and I would be very keen to be involved in a larger scale project of this type.
Is it a myth that only building with south facing windows achieve the Passivhaus standard?
Orientation plays an important part in the energy balance of buildings and having good areas of south facing glazing can contribute a lot of free energy to a building to reduce heating loads. Of course, this has to be designed to avoid summer overheating risks and Passivhaus has good design controls and limits for overheating. However, it is possible to achieve Passivhaus standards without this optimum orientation. Two of our certified Passivhaus project have large areas of north east facing glazing – this was where the views were, and our clients wanted homes that looked out. This makes Passivhaus more difficult and other elements of the project had to work harder as a result, but both projects are complete and successfully certified – so it is possible.
How does living in a Passivhaus standard dwelling affect the daily life of the home owner? What is the feedback that your clients are usually giving?
Unfortunately, I don’t live in a Passivhaus, I hope one day I might have that opportunity then I would be able to give you my first-hand feedback. One of the design challenges for any building is to make it easy to use and suited to the people who will use it – it should serve their needs and lifestyle and not be something they have to adapt themselves to. This is one of the benefits of Passivhaus in my opinion, they can be very simple buildings that do not require lots of complex controls or require you to live in a certain way. The main technology that is different from conventional buildings and homes is the ventilation system which delivers fresh air and moves heat around the building. Once this is set up and the simple controls are understood there is no reason that a Passivhaus building should be different to any other – it just works better. Feedback from our clients has been very positive, they love their Passivhaus homes and would be reluctant to go back to a conventional home with its stuffy air and expensive energy bills.
If you or your company are looking to build a PassivHaus project, get in touch by emailing mail@gcparch.co.uk or phoning our office on 0117 967 6286
Click here to for more information on Passivhaus projects completed by gcp.
Above: Key Passivhaus benefits for residents
gcp Chartered Architects have recently supported two members of the team to attend the AECB Passivaus Designer Course and further develop their skills. Here, Matt Bonney talks about his route to sustainable design.
Energy efficiency in homes has always been a key part of my architectural education. My interest was sparked in 2010 at the University of Strathclyde where an environmental studies class taught me how to calculate building u-values from first principals. This information could then be used to help calculate heating/cooling loads and work out the building’s annual energy demand. I have always had a fascination with numbers so the ability to calculate the efficiency of a building was very interesting to me.
Starting my Part 1 Placement year in 2013 I wanted to expand this new knowledge as much as possible. The practice I worked for focused on bespoke housing in the Yorkshire Dales, so I signed up for the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) assessor course at BRE which allowed me to assess houses against the CSH criteria and make my designs as sustainable as possible. At this time, the CSH guidance was being adopted by some planning authorities which made the knowledge very useful. However, as the guidance was merged with the updated building regulations the CSH became less influential.
It was during my CSH training that I first became aware of Passivhaus as a design standard. Returning to university in 2014 I focused on designing energy efficient buildings, with a specific focus on passive sustainable solutions for high density mixed-use buildings. My intention was always to ground myself in the fundamentals of sustainable design so I could pursue Passivhaus designer accreditation on my return to practice.
When I joined gcp in 2018 I was impressed by their history of sustainable design which continues today through gcp Consulting. I hope that by attending the AECB Passivhaus Designer course I will improve my knowledge of sustainable design and develop the skill set needed to create fantastic Passivhaus buildings such as the ones designed by Colin Powell, gcp’s Passivhaus Designer.
If you or your company are looking to build a Passivhaus project, get in touch by emailing mail@gcparch.co.uk or phoning our office on 0117 967 6286
Click here to for more information on Passivhaus projects completed by gcp.
We are really pleased to have supported Southmead Development Trust in the early stages of their first Glencoyne Square community led housing project as featured in this excellent video. We are also pleased to be investigating a second scheme on their Greenway Community Centre site with support from the Homes England Community Housing Fund.
