Gale and Snowdon architects have been at the cutting edge of sustainable design since their founding in 1992. The practice integrates ecology, building physics and landscape design with elegant and efficient architecture to create healthy uplifting buildings and landscapes. Since 2008 all their projects are designed to Passivhaus standard and in 2013 Gale & Snowden became the first IBN accredited Building Biology Consultancy in the UK. 

One of their directors, Tomas Gartner, will be presenting their most recent passivhaus project: Sherwood house, a four bedroom new build house near Tiverton.

The approach that the client Hugh Saxby - a self builder - wanted was a sustainable, self sufficient building and landscape design. The result is a holistic, integrated building design that combines permaculture landscape design, ‘Bau Biology’ for healthy building and Passivhaus principles (see: gale-snowden.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/gale-snowden-become-first-uk-building.html for more information on Bau Biology.)

Tomas and Hugh will be making a joint presentation so that delegates can hear both the architect's and the client's experience of the build. The project includes:

• Permaculture landscape design with forest garden, reed bed sewage system and aquaculture design
• Passivhaus design with PV renewable energy generation on site, wood burner with back boiler to generate heating and hot water
• Healthy design strategies: best practice daylight, high comfort levels throughout, optimum air quality to SBM 2015 (standard for bau biology testing), optimum water quality, specification of natural and local materials where practical, focus on suppliers that provide a full content declaration of their products, low VOC materials and paints throughout, no PVC, hygienic easy cleanable finishes, use of hygroscopic materials to regulate internal humidity, radiative wall heating systems for comfort and to minimise spillage of dust, Low EMF wiring, specification of glazing that has minimum impact on the light spectrum, low energy artificial lighting design that supports the natural circadian rhythm etc.

The project is nearing completion and so the speakers will be able to share their experiences of the entire building process, warts and all.

This talk is a rare opportunity for construction professionals to access solid technical information on an innovative build that combines some of the most challenging building standards including Passivhaus and Bau Biology.

What did delegates say about previous Bite Size sessions?

"The micro session idea is brilliant as full days can be very, very difficult"
"Excellent coverage for both established Green Register members and novices"
"Informed recommendations and some myths debunked"
"Lots of stuff I didn’t know! Enjoyed the interactive format"

More about Bite Size sessions

The Green Register's Bite Size sessions offer an alternative, flexible route to Green Register membership through a series of shorter training sessions designed to give concise training at a time to suit busy working professionals. Attend 6 sessions to qualify for membership.