About the series

Join us for a new series on four of the key areas of sustainable design for those who are looking for clear, concise and unbiased information at an introductory level. To book all events in the series for a discount, please visit Introducing Sustainable Building Practices.

There are four dates for this series: 

About this session

Introducing Building Physics  

The art and science of building physics is a term that describes an understanding of how buildings respond to moisture, heat, light and air movement. This concept, together with ‘The Whole House’ approach, looks at buildings in a holistic way and how one measure can affect other measures. 

By bringing together all the key aspects of building physics we can build safely, healthily and sustainably. However, sometimes the terms used can be a bit mysterious…what’s the difference between a breathable and a hygroscopic building material for example? 

This part of the session will explain some of the terms used and the science behind them. 

Building Physics topics covered: 

• the whole house approach 
• fabric first 
• breathability 
• hygroscopicity 
• moisture risk in buildings 
• ventilation strategies 
• airtightness 
• heat loss 
• interstitial condensation 
• avoiding unintended consequences 
• appropriate building materials 

Who is this session for? 

This training series is presented at foundation level and will provide delegates with a clear understanding of all the important principles of sustainable building. They are an ideal way to gain an understanding at foundation level before moving onto specific topics in more depth.

The sessions are suitable for any construction professional including architects, engineers, surveyors, contractors and builders, students in construction as well as householders and energy assessors, and anyone with an interest in sustainable building

Architects – need to meet the new ARB CPD requirements on Environmental Sustainability? 

As of January 2024, all architects on the UK Register are required by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) to record and confirm participation in CPD to maintain registration. ARB’s CPD scheme is activity-based and is focused on learning outcomes. You can find out more about ARB’s CPD requirements here.

This course relates to environmental sustainability, which is one of the mandatory topics for the 2025 ARB scheme.

View or download this checklist which shows in more detail how attendance on this course can help you meet these requirements. 

About the trainer

Lucy Pedler, BA Arch, Dip Arch 

Lucy is an architect with 34 years of professional experience in the UK and USA and has particular expertise in sustainable building practices. Lucy created The Green Register in 2000, now a nationwide networking and educational not-for-profit organisation promoting sustainable building practices to all disciplines of the construction industry. 

In 1999, Lucy started her own sustainable architecture practice, archipeleco, designing buildings that have a low impact on the environment. In 2005, Paul McWilliams joined archipeleco to then create develeco limited, a company exclusively self-funded to offer refurbishments of existing buildings - usually in very poor condition - and transform the properties into sustainable, beautiful buildings fit for 21st century living. 

Lucy has had a lifelong passion for low impact buildings and was recognised as an Earth Champion in 2015. She is also very keen on land-based travel, often on a bike (not surprising given her surname).