About the series

The Green Register is proud to present some of our members’ fantastic work as part of this new series of 2-hour live online sessions. We’ll provide an insight into a range of different projects from a sustainability angle.

Each month we’ll focus on one Case Study with the chance to look at it in-depth and invite different members of the project team to give their unique perspectives and answer your questions. 

Each session is a stand-alone event, but you can book all three sessions to receive a discount!

About this Session: How to deep retrofit a loft without taking the roof off

We invite TGR members Hawkland to discuss one of their recently finished retrofit projects. Hawkland were engaged to design and deliver a loft conversion utilising the existing roof structure, for use as a bedroom and office space for home working. 

The project had to consider a half-built set of elements from an earlier attempt at a conversion, in place solar panels, and tight access vs thermal performance. 

The retrofit involved natural materials in the form of Steicoflex wood fibre insulation, and tongue and groove woodfibre boards, along with a lime plaster finish. It also incorporated a variety of air tightness measures, and offers a good example of how to undertake a practical thermal retrofit using modern, sustainable materials and passivhaus principles.

Chris Hawker, COO, and Ben Nother, Architect, at Hawkland will walk you through the process of both the design considerations and how that translates to a half built loft space in construction. Tom Hynes (speaker TBC), Site Manager, will join to give some practical insight into the project.

About the trainers

Chris Hawker, Construction Manager/COO, Hawkland

A lifelong advocate for sustainability, Chris has been working with and researching sustainable materials and technologies in construction since 2009. He holds an MSc in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies from the Centre for Alternative Technology, and was proud to help deliver the natural materials module on the same course for several years after his graduation, along with short courses in straw bale construction.   

An expert in straw design, application, and training, to date Chris has over 32 new build straw bale and panel projects under his belt throughout the UK and Europe. These cover a wide range of systems including timber-framed, SIPs, load-bearing, hybrid frame systems and external wraps.   

Chris now coordinates delivery of Hawkland's new build and retrofit construction projects. Working closely with our clients, architectural team, site managers and suppliers he provides an efficient and personal service from pre-construction all the way through to completion. 

Ben Nother, Architect/COO, Hawkland

Ben is a Bristol based, ARB registered, Architect with 15 years architectural experience in practice and education and 20 years in the construction industry. Due to his work in construction as a labourer he approaches Architecture with a practical and holistic understanding.  

Ben studied the Part 2 Professional Diploma in Architecture: Advanced environmental and energy studies at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Ben chose this particular course wanting to increase his understanding on how his architecture could respect the environment and work with it.  The course helped him focus on sustainability during all parts of the design process.  

After the completion of the Professional Practice and Management in Architecture course (from the University of the West of England) Ben qualified as an architect and set up his practice