Life cycle assessment in construction and retrofit stars
Life cycle assessments are crucial for sustainable building design, but understanding their inherent limitations is key to making better decisions with imperfect data, writes Dr Lois Hurst.
person_outline
Housing minister calls for faster retrofit to shield homes from energy shocks
Ireland must treat building decarbonisation as critical national infrastructure to protect households from future energy price shocks, according to a new policy scorecard launched today.
Bio-based self-build fuses passive principles and clever shading proves heatwave-proof
Made to look easy on TV, Duncan and Anaya decided to give selfbuilding a go and somehow created the most comfortable house they’ve ever lived in – even in the face of extreme heat events.
Accessible Manchester retrofit delivers comfort and low bills
An award-winning retrofit demonstrates that universal design and ultra-low energy performance are powerful allies, not competing priorities.
Ballymore scheme brings low-cost comfort to private market
With 35,000 homes under their belt, one of the UK and Ireland's most prolific developers has just completed its first passive house scheme - aided by an innovative airtightness approach.
Planning reform will thwart low energy housing, councils say
Britain is failing to address housing as part of the climate emergency, according to a group of 60 local authorities, businesses and civil society groups who say government changes to planning rules could spell the end of zero carbon homes in England.
One family's response to a bushfire
Big Picture - Forrest Passive House in Spotswood achieves certification while maintaining contemporary family functionality through thoughtful material choices and spatial planning.
Futurebuild goes bigger without losing its soul
The UK's leading sustainable construction event is co-locating with two other shows in May.
Cairn secures passive house certification for three Dublin developments
Major new passive house schemes for Ireland.
Lacuna: thermal modification boosts timber utility
Thermally modified timber has been used in the building industry for years, principally as a durable and sustainable cladding material, but its history stretches back millennia.
More...
Passive House Systems wins airtightness certification from PHI
A new airtightness system produced by Passive House Systems has been given the green light by the Passive House Institute, with the UK launch in March 2026.
SkamoWall marketing indicates value of storytelling focus
When SkamoWall arrived in the UK, its Viking-themed advert in Passive House Plus quietly tested a hunch: that storytelling still shapes product choice, even in a technical publication.
Proctor membrane used on landmark Dublin passive scheme
Proctor Group’s Wraptite airtight membrane has been used on one
of the largest passive house projects in Ireland, with the self-adhering membrane forming part of the external wall build-up at Cairn Homes’ Pipers Square development in Charlestown, Dublin.
Threshold support system gains KIWA certification for passive house builds
A thermally broken threshold support system designed to carry heavy door and window frames above perimeter insulation has been approved in an update to Build Homes Better's KIWA Agrément certificate.