Less Talk. More Thoughtful Building.
by Sean Hill on Apr 1, 2025
Our industry knows how to say the right things.
Start Smart: Why Feasibility is the First Steps That Matters
by Sean Hill on Feb 27, 2025
If you don’t know where you're going, how will you know when you’ve arrived?
External Wall Insulation: More Than Just a Blanket for Your Home
by Sean Hill on Feb 21, 2025
When I was growing up, winter had a way of seeping into our home. I remember lying in bed, watching my breath form little clouds in the air, huddled under layers of blankets, waiting for the morning sun to take the edge off the cold. The walls of our house felt more like a sieve than …
Navigating the New National Planning Policy Framework: Thoughts from Sean Ronnie Hill, Director of RISE Design Studio
by Sean Hill on Dec 13, 2024
The recent reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) are causing waves in the worlds of architecture, urban planning, and development. For someone like me - someone who’s dedicated their career to creating spaces where sustainability is a cornerstone - these changes are …
What is the difference between Passivhaus and BREEAM?
by RISE Design Studio on Apr 30, 2022
At a time when energy prices are rising, it is helpful to know about options in the home for reducing energy consumption. From an architectural and design point of view, this equates to much more than having a shorter shower or reducing the time the heating is turned on. Today, there …
Working towards a Net Zero London
by RISE Design Studio on Dec 2, 2020
Earlier this month, New London Architecture (NLA) published a report on ‘Zero Carbon London‘. Part of NLA’s Net Zero programme (#NLANetZero), the report provides new insight into progress in the built environment profession in the fight against climate change. It is based on results o …
Exploring Chailey Brick Factory
by RISE Design Studio on Dec 8, 2016
We recently attended a CPD tour organised by RIBA to the Ibstock brick factory in Chailey, near Lewes in Sussex. It was fascinating to see process of traditional stock brick manufacturing in one of the last remaining clamp-firing factories in Europe. We highly recommend a trip to the …
Passivhaus explained
by RISE Design Studio on Sep 21, 2015
Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is a key concern for a sustainable architect. In this blog post, we look at the basic principles of the Passivhaus (or Passive House) standard: a sustainable construction concept that is the fastest growing energy performance standard in t …
Sustainable architecture principles: environment, energy, efficiency
by RISE Design Studio on Aug 26, 2015
Buildings account for about half of the UK’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Globally, architecture was responsible for 40-50% of waste deposits in landfills at the turn of the new millennium, and 20-30% of greenhouse gas emissions.
