11/07/2012 - Inaugural Passivhaus Awards Celebrate UK’s sustainable building pioneers

This week saw the first Passivhaus Awards Ceremony take place, attracting nominations from a variety of building sectors. The categories included residential, non-domestic and retrofit projects, with shortlisted entries from primary schools, a social housing scheme, a community centre and a rural agricultural college.

Passivhaus (or Passive House) is a highly respected building accreditation in mainland Europe. It provides guidelines for energy efficient, sustainable constructions that surpass the highest level of energy efficiency outlined in the UK’s BREEAM Code. The self-build market has been the sector to have embraced Passivhaus standards most readily, but as we can see from the awards, it is gaining mainstream support.

The Winner of the residential category was a 14 dwelling social housing development in Essex designed by Parsons and Whittley. With passive thermal design, careful orientation promoting solar gain in winter and superb airtightness, tenants report energy bills as low as £30, helping to alleviate fuel poverty in the area.

In the non-domestic sector, congratulations go to Achitype, the designers of Oak Meadow Primary School. Heat recovery ventilation systems pump fresh air into this new-build school, providing a huge improvement from the hot stuffy classrooms of the previous building. Teachers report that the children’s afternoon concentration has improved dramatically due to the light, airy spaces of the new building.

Mayville Community Centre scooped the award for the retrofit project category. Using the existing shell of an old tram station, Bere Architects have created a new community centre featuring rainwater harvesting for the WCs, a creative use of floor space and a scheme that fits into a wider regeneration of the surrounding area.

Although the styles and design features varied enormously, it was noted that each Passivhaus scheme created a beautiful external appearance combined with healthier internal environments. All projects had to supply costs per square metre as part of the judging process, highlighting that a Passivhaus scheme can be achieved at the same initial financial investment as a non-Passivhaus build.

If you would like to know more about how heat recovery ventilation systems can help you achieve Passivhaus standards, contact one of our experts.

06/07/2012 – British summer? Wellies ahoy…


True to form, Wimbledon is on the telly, the school holidays are about to start, and the Olympics are around the corner and what about the weather…? Well, today the Environment Agency has issued flood warnings and severe weather reports for large areas of the UK. The north and east are to bear the brunt of two bands of heavy rain and thunder and lightning storms that will pass over the country over the next two days. For us hardened types in Yorkshire, a spot of rain is nothing out of the ordinary, but after last week’s downpours, even our spirits are a bit dampened by this forecast.

The impact of the high humidity and warm, wet weather should not be underestimated. Anyone who has tried to dry washing in their homes over the last week will know that it has remained damp, and increasingly foisty, for days until you either go for broke and put on the tumble dryer, or create your own indoor sauna by switching the heating on.

Imagine how damp affects the actual fabric of the building though? Moist air creates perfect conditions for dust mites, fungal spores and host of other nasties to flourish. This causes respiratory problems for the many, and those with asthma can find their symptoms aggravated. Plus the building materials, timber and fixtures and fittings are enveloped in warm, moist air, encouraging bacterial growth and decreasing their lifespan.

Homes that benefit from heat recovery ventilation systems do not have this problem. They work by removing warm damp air from the home, drawing it through sophisticated heat exchangers, and using the energy to bring cool, clean, filtered air from outside up to the optimum temperature. The inside of the property requires no other ventilation, such as open windows, trickle vents or extractor fans, and works best when the property is airtight. No more condensation, black mould growth on cold walls, cooking odours or laundry that refuses to dry!

If you’d like to know more about how our products could create a healthy home for you, contact one of our experts.

02/07/2012 - Surrey Homebuilding and Renovating Show


Just a quick thank you to everyone who attended the Homebuilding and Renovating Show at Sandown Park, Surrey last weekend. We had an excellent time, and met some really interesting people while we were there. It was great to talk to so many enthusiastic and committed self builders who are putting into practice some of the best of creative design ideas, energy efficiency and green living!

Thank you to everyone on the ADM team who worked so hard to make the show a big success too. Our expert staff are always on hand to help, and are delighted to share their knowledge and experience with you. Being independent of any manufacturer means we have access to a huge choice of products, and with our expertise, can apply the range of options to precisely suit your needs.

If you missed this weekend's show, then you can catch us again at The Big Green Home Show at the National Self Build and Renovating Centre in Swindon on 26th -28th October. Bring along your plans, or why not email them to us sooner and see how we can help you make your home a cleaner, healthier place. If you would like to talk to us about your plans, contact us.

29/06/2012 – Congratulations Mole Architects, RIBA Award Winners.

Read about our involvement with The Balancing Barn.

We are absolutely thrilled to hear that our friends at Mole Architects have just scooped two RIBA Awards. The first, a private house in Madingley Road, has won the Regional Sustainability award for its superb energy efficiency. They have achieved beyond Passivhaus standards, testament that low-technology and excellence in spatial design, rather than the use of heavy mechanical systems, can achieve a higher standard of sustainable architecture.

The second, The Client of the Year Award, is for their client Living Architecture. Living Architecture is a social enterprise set up to revolutionise both architecture and holiday rentals. They provide stunning contemporary holiday homes to rent, in amazing locations. The Dune House is their latest project, nestled into the sand dunes in Thorpeness, on the Suffolk coast, a protected area designated as being one of exceptional natural beauty. You can step out from the kitchen directly onto the beach, and the outstanding design, with its enormous glazed walls, allow for uninterrupted views of the sea.

The Balancing Barn, another Living Architecture holiday home, that won the 2011 RIBA East Award, stands on the edge of a nature reserve near Aldeburgh in Suffolk. ADM Systems are proud to have been the supplier of Heat Recovery Ventilation (MVHR) for this property. Clad in elegant silver tiles, the house dramatically cantilevers over the landscape, providing views from its huge panoramic windows over woods, ponds and meadows.

From the outside, it looks like a small traditional building, but it hides a substantial 30m long house that boasts four double ensuite bedrooms, and generous living and dining areas. With full height sliding windows, roof lights and a glass floor, visitors feel truly connected to the landscape.

We love these holiday homes, and if you would like to try one too, go to Living Architecture for availability and tariffs.  And if you want to know more about how heat recovery ventilation systems could benefit you, contact one of our experts.