Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy, Architype, London, Green Building Design
Ashden Awards Architecture Prize
Sustainable Energy Architecture Prize – Eco Building Prize
15 Jun 2009
Architype wins Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy
Architype received the prestigious award on Thursday 11 June 09 at a special ceremony in London hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Ashden Awards are the world’s leading green energy awards and this is the first time the award has been given to an architectural practice. Architype has won £15,000 in prize money to be used for post-occupancy research.
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales with representatives from Architype (Director Jonathan Hines, third from left, and Associate Ben Humphries, fifth from left) and other award winners, Marches Energy Agency and Devon County Council:
Architype has 25 years’ experience in putting the environment at the heart of its design, going way beyond the standards stipulated. In the past five years Architype’s significant project portfolio is saving between 35 and 75 percent of CO2 emissions compared to current building regulations, and they are now targeting Passivhaus savings of 90%.
Architype’s approach is to create buildings that by design simply consume less energy – rather than relying on add-on technology that offsets carbon but allows buildings to carry on using energy.
Energy use is reduced by designing buildings that require minimal heating, cooling and lighting, using careful orientation, super-insulation, reduced thermal bridging, good airtightness, passive solar, good daylighting, and natural ventilation. Buildings are designed through an inclusive process of user consultation and engagement.
The energy used in buildings accounts for almost half of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions and significant energy is also embodied in building materials and the construction process.
Jonathan Hines, Managing Director of Architype, said:
“We are passionate about designing beautiful and sustainable buildings, and so are delighted to have won such a high-profile award. It is fantastic to receive national recognition for our pioneering work in sustainable design over the last 25 years, and for the unique way in which we involve users and communities in the design of their buildings”
Ashden Awards Sustainable Energy : current page
Upper Twyford Barns : the practice’s office in Hereford, England
Genesis Centre by Architype
picture : Leigh Simpson
Ashden Awards Shortlist : Architype
1 Jun 2009
Architects: “Sustainable design doesn’t have to cost more”
Today, the world’s leading green energy Awards scheme announced that Architype Ltd, an architectural design firm based in Herefordshire and London, is one of the companies pioneering renewable energy schemes in the UK, Africa, Asia and Latin America, and chosen as finalists for the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2009. Architype will compete in the Business Award category for up to £30,000 in prize money, to be used for scheme improvement and expansion. The winners will be announced at a ceremony hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales in London on 11 June.
Architype is an architectural practice with 25 year’s experience in putting the environment at the heart of its design, going way beyond the standards stipulated. In the past five years Architype’s significant project portfolio has saved an average of 35 percent of CO2 emissions compared to current building regulations. Energy use is reduced by designing buildings that require minimal heating, cooling and lighting, through insulation, passive solar gain, natural ventilation and well-placed windows.
Jonathan Hines, Managing Director of Architype, explains the underlying issues and the key to success in implementing architectural sustainability:
“Designing a new building or refurbishing an old one can be the perfect opportunity to put sustainability into practice, but too often the chance is missed. We therefore work closely with clients, before and after the building is constructed, to ensure that the client understands and likes the design and knows how to use the building efficiently.”
Architype prioritises reducing energy consumption through design, and then opts for low carbon energy sources appropriate for each project, such as biomass, solar water heating and solar PV. Sustainable building materials are carefully sourced and green building techniques employed to minimise embodied energy.
Jonathan Hines notes:
“Involving the building construction company at an early stage means that any specialist technologies and construction techniques can be discussed, and potential problems avoided.”
Mark Preston of Russell Construction, a contractor working with Architype on the construction of the Genesis Project in Taunton, Somerset, commented:
“Before we did this Education Centre with Architype, I thought sustainable materials would be difficult to integrate into mainstream construction but this building is proof that they can. I think everyone can – and should! – use them.”
Architype started life as a cooperative, evolving into a fully commercial business that retains its original goals and ethos. The architects work collaboratively, in a flexible team that can draw on everyone’s expertise. The company focuses on public sector and community clients, competing commercially with more traditional architects. Buildings designed by Architype include schools, colleges, offices, community buildings, visitor centres, housing projects and student accommodation.
Architype’s buildings achieve high operating energy efficiency, and thus low carbon emissions, through high levels of insulation, passive solar gain and natural ventilation. Designs continue to improve, so the 34,000 m2 of buildings to be completed in next two years should save 65% on energy and 75% on CO2, compared with current building regulations.
Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy images / information from Architype
Location: UK
Architecture Awards
Contemporary Architectural Awards – selection:
Aga Khan Award for Architecture
Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy Background
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy were founded in 2001 to encourage the greater use of local sustainable energy to address climate change and alleviate poverty. Since then they have rewarded nearly one hundred winners across the UK and the developing world.
The Ashden Awards work to show-case and celebrate best practice, encourage the expansion and replication of winners’ work, raise awareness of the potential of local sustainable energy, and advocate on their winners’ behalf. For further information, including photos, films, and case studies on past winners, go to www.ashdenawards.org. The Ashden Awards Patron is HRH The Prince of Wales.
The Ashden Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 11 June in central London. To report/film from the event contact Kat Huxtable (details as above). For security reasons, journalists must register in advance and bring photo ID.
There are two finalists in the Business Award category, competing for prize money of up to £30,000.
UK finalists are available for interview. There will be presentations and films about their work at the Ashden Awards Imperial College Conference on Wednesday 10 June. For further details, to set up interviews, or to attend contact Kat Huxtable (details as above). The Conference will be streamed live on the Ashden Awards website.
There are four UK Awards categories with two finalists in each:
Business Award
– Architype, Herefordshire/London: Reducing energy demand through people-focused building design.
– Geothermal International, Coventry: Using heat pumps to provide heating and cooling to large public buildings.
Charity Award
– Marches Energy Agency (MEA), Shrewsbury: Motivating communities to reduce carbon emissions.
– Sustainable Energy Academy (SEA), Milton Keynes: Showing how carbon emissions from homes can be radically reduced.
Local Authority Award
– Kirklees Council: Rolling out home insulation across a large metropolitan borough.
– Devon County Council: Generating employment by supporting renewable energy businesses and customers.
Schools Award
– Ashley CofE Primary School, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey: Achieving sustainable carbon savings, including an overall reduction in electricity use of over 50%.
– Currie Community High School, Edinburgh, Scotland: Auditing and changing behaviour, installing sustainable systems, and running pupil-led campaigns.
Six international Ashden Awards and an Award for Outstanding Achievement by a previous international winner will also be made at the Ceremony on 11 June.
English Building Designs
English Residential Architecture
Island Rest, Isle of Wight
Design: Strom Architects
photos by Nick Hufton, Al Crow
Island Rest Isle of Wight Residence
Lake Cabin in Brabourne, Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Beauty, Southeast England
Design: RX Architects
photo : Ashley Gendek
Lake Cabin in Kent Downs
Comments / photos for the Sustainable Energy Architecture Prize – Eco Building Prizey page welcome
Website: www.ashdenawards.org