Ecospheric

01/06/2026

Hampstead Passive House is in the running for the MARCH Materials People's Choice Awards 2026. This fantastic project features completely natural and recycled insulation, reclaimed furniture, flooring, and cabinetry, and even painted with clay found on-site.

On top of that, it's a certified of a Victorian-era townhouse featuring lovely period architectural details, whilst delivering the highest energy efficiency.

Every detail has been considered for maximum and carbon reduction.

Please click here to vote https://www.app.marchmaterials.com/project/cmolmi6mf01lq09mobihhwuoh

Architectural design: Guy Stansfeld Architecture llp
Interiors: Axel Vervoordt Company
Passivhaus and building services: Ecospheric
Building contractor: OLF Construction
Structural engineers: MICHAEL BAIGENT ORLA KELLY LIMITED
Passivhaus certifier: Zero Energy + Passivhaus

20/05/2026

Great to see Hampstead Passive House featured in Dezeen recently. This fabulous Victorian home has been retrofitted to standard... prioritising natural materials from insulation to decor.

Click the link below the read the Dezeen article or head to our website to find out how this project meets the ambitious RIBA 2030 Challenge embodied carbon targets https://www.ecospheric.co.uk/projects/enerphit-1880's-conservation-area-townhouse

08/05/2026

We’re excited to share what could become the first certified Premium project in Great Britain.

Construction is now complete on the Wild House at Wilder Doddington in - a nature-based education centre focused on wildlife, ecology, wellbeing, and sustainability.

It has been a wonderful journey supporting Doddington Hall and Gardens with early concept development through to Passivhaus design, building services engineering, construction support, and certification.

The project features:

• A fully solar roof generating more renewable energy than the building consumes annually
• Closed-panel timber construction using British-grown timber
• Insulation manufactured from recycled newsprint

Projects like this show how a strong commitment to sustainable design, biodiversity, and education can come together to create something truly special.

A huge congratulations to the entire project team, we cannot wait to visit again now that the building is complete.

Client: Doddington Hall and Gardens
Architecture: Steven Dunn Architects Ltd.
Passivhaus & Building Services: Ecospheric
Main Contractor: Daniel Charles Construction Ltd
Build System: PYC Group

24/02/2026

So thrilled to see Hampstead Passive House shortlisted for the 2026 RIBA London Awards.

This beautiful Victorian townhouse in a London conservation area has been carefully retrofitted to the standard, dramatically reducing energy use while protecting its historic character.

The project delivers:

• Around 90% less space heating demand
• 75% lower operational energy use
• 58% lower whole life carbon than the original building
• Natural, breathable, VOC-free materials
• Reclaimed finishes and timber throughout

The clients were extraordinary in their commitment. Every decision balanced conservation with climate responsibility, creating a healthy home that treads lightly on the planet.

A powerful reminder that heritage buildings can lead the way in climate action.

More info: https://www.riba.org/news/seventy-two-projects-shortlisted-for-riba-london-awards-2026/

Find out which projects are shortlisted for the RIBA London Awards 2026

24/02/2026

Congrats and fingers crossed for Warksburn Old Church!!

Delighted to be shortlisted in the New Business AND Best Self Catering categories

05/02/2026

Looking forward to seeing Alan and Anne on the telly again! Our clients at Warksburn Old Church will be telling the story of how they retrofitted a redundant Victorian-era chapel and turned it into a certified holiday let - the cosiest place to stay for anyone exploring Hadrian's Wall and the Northumberland countryside.

We supported the Passivhaus design, building services design, and renewable energy design and specifications for this project and are so pleased to see that it continues to attract lots of interest.

The International Passive House Association
Passivhaus Trust

12/11/2025

For those of us working on Paragraph 84e country house projects, it’s been fascinating to follow the evolving definition of what is considered “truly outstanding” - a pre-requisite for success with these schemes.

Our managing director, Kit Knowles, had the privilege of serving on the Design Review Panel for Francis Terry’s proposed “world-first Neoclassical Passivhaus” at Little Tew, and has the following reflections on the local authority’s refusal and the reasoning behind it.

The key takeaways:

1. Sustainability now defines outstanding design.
Passivhaus alone is no longer exceptional — it’s the starting point. In the context of the climate emergency, no building can be outstanding unless it is inherently and verifiably sustainable across its whole-life carbon. Certification, circular materials, and low embodied carbon should be treated as fundamentals, not features.

2. Context matters.
Paragraph 84e expects proposals to raise local design standards. In the case of this Neoclassical Passivhaus, the proposal was situated in the vicinity of Tew Park, where the Inspector found “design standards already high, so the scheme would not raise them.” In other words, schemes stand a better chance where the baseline quality is low and the proposal can demonstrably uplift it.

For any project considering a Paragraph 84e route to planning, engaging with a Design Review Panel is one of the most effective mechanisms for lifting design quality. The multidisciplinary scrutiny — architecture, landscape, engineering, and sustainability — are invaluable in strengthening both narrative and performance.

Plans for what Francis Terry described as ‘the world’s first Baroque Passivhaus’, have been rejected – despite a council agreeing the designs were ‘outstanding’

12/11/2025

10/11/2025

Fantastic to see so many people interested in the of a grade II listed home in Park, which we're supporting with design. Thanks to clients Andy and Janet and project architects Progress in Practice for leading the tours.

04/11/2025

Proud to be supporting the journey for two projects opening their doors this weekend as part of the Passivhaus Trust Open Days — showcasing what’s possible in high-performance across the UK.

🏛️ Sat 8 Nov, 12pm – Central Lodge, Birkenhead Park
EnerPHit design support working with project architects Progress in Practice on a Grade II listed mid-19th-century home, with potential to be the first listed historic property to achieve Passivhaus EnerPHit certification.

🏠 Sun 9 Nov, 10am-2pm – Stuart Road, Liverpool
EnerPHit certification support for PH consultant ColdProof and client/contractor DK Building Liverpool LTD on a 1930s semi-detached home, demonstrating practical pathways to ultra-low-energy performance in typical UK housing.

Two distinct contexts, one shared goal — radically improving building performance while preserving architectural heritage.

Reserve your spot at https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/event_detail.php?eId=1485