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It’s an area Orthopaedic Surgeon, Raj Goel jokingly, but admiringly, refers to as ‘the foyer.’ ‘Patients say, “Wow, what a great place to work in,”’ he says..

This contrasts with traditional building construction, where these elements account for upwards of 10% of the building’s heat loss..The design must achieve the following targets to gain Passivhaus certification:.

A heating energy demand of < 15 kWh/m²/yr or a maximum required heating power of 10 W/m2.Avoid overheating or have a cooling system demanding < 15 kWh/m2/yr.Achieve an air tightness of ≤ 0.6 air changes/ hr @ n50.

The building design also needs to achieve low primary energy & renewable demand.This is a combined target and is based on the energy consumed by building systems and the renewable energy generated by building mounted wind, photovoltaics or solar thermal systems.. For the above reasons, Passivhaus is a suitable standard for clients and developers that seek a well-established, sustainability standard to deliver low energy buildings with the highest construction quality, aspiring to net zero carbon in operation.. Bryden Wood’s 10-step approach to Passivhaus building design and construction.

Whilst there is no fixed formula to Passivhaus, Bryden Wood proposes the achievement of the above targets via the following 10 steps, which relate both to design decisions and construction specifications for improved sustainability:.

A compact shape with low building envelope to volume ratios.. Building orientation to benefit from useful solar gains.. Optimised window sizes to capitalise on useful solar gains, reduce heat losses and deliver exemplary levels of natural light into the building..We know that green spaces are a positive influence on our well-being.

Studies have shown that contact with nature has a significant impact on mental health.This is another example where multiple value drivers can be augmented in tandem; increasing diversity, improving well-being, supporting productivity and creating educational environments.. How can we reduce waste materials, and, moreover, incorporate them into the built environment, reusing plastics and other potential throwaways?.

How do we look at all these things together to find the best business, aesthetic and environmental solutions?.The answer is simple and difficult.