At rhp, we believe it is our responsibility as architects to minimise the significant environmental impact of constructing and operating buildings. For more than three decades, sustainable, low‑energy strategies have been central to our design philosophy.
In 1995, our Ionica Building was awarded the RICS Efficient Building of the Year for its pioneering use of passive design systems. These included harnessing the thermal mass of the building fabric and delivering low‑energy cooling without air‑conditioning through night‑purge and stack ventilation. While considered innovative at the time, these principles have since become widely adopted best practice.
Today, rhp continues to deliver award‑winning low‑energy designs, including the carbon‑neutral Brighton Earthship, the Hastings Enviro21 projects, BREEAM ‘Excellent’ laboratories for the Natural Environment Research Council, and a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ Visitor Centre for NIAB. Our recent work with Lucy Cavendish College delivered the first Passivhaus student accommodation in Cambridge, providing 72 en‑suite rooms and shared social spaces on a sensitive Conservation Area site. The project has received multiple architectural awards and was shortlisted for the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, combining contemporary low‑carbon construction with materials that complement the historic campus.
Through early‑stage environmental modelling, we provide performance certainty for our design strategies. We also seek to future‑proof our buildings, ensuring they can adapt over time to changes in climate, evolving energy demands and emerging technologies.
To stay at the forefront of sustainable design thinking, we run a programme of specialist talks from guest speakers and support our team in attending external courses and seminars focused on sustainability. Our dedicated sustainability team—led by Director and certified Passivhaus Designer, Tom Foggin—research and share environmental design insights through in‑house guides, seminars and technical consultations.
rhp is also committed to reducing the environmental impact of our own studios and is accredited under ISO 14001. As part of this commitment, we have established a Net Zero 2035 strategy, setting a clear pathway to significantly reduce our operational carbon footprint. We remain steadfast in our belief that architects play a vital role in reducing the environmental footprint of the built environment, and we continue to place sustainable, low‑energy design at the heart of our Practice.
We are members of The Green Register and the Passivhaus Trust.
