Barefoot Architects, with Piers Sadler of Delta Q, and Damon Rand from CEPRO will describe this pioneering community-led affordable housing project in Bridport, West Dorset, whic takes a radical approach to collective design, multi-generational mutually supportive living, food production, transport, and energy at scale.  

Bridport cohousing community land trust was formed by a group of local people who sought to make housing for local people that was more affordable, sustainable and neighbourly - in an area with disproportionately high house prices to income. Their journey over more than 10 years has resulted in the creation of 53 mixed tenure, low-energy homes, set within car free streets, and topped with PV panels forming a community microgrid powering all-electric homes.   

Barefoot architects will describe how the co-design process with residents led to higher ambitions, better standards, and radical approaches to food production, car parking and sharing of resources within a cohousing model.

Delivered in partnership with Homes England, Dorset Council, Bournemouth Churches Housing Association, and a design and build contractor, the project achieves the AECB building standard, using off-site manufactured SIPS and incorporates a range of renewable energy features (PV, ASHP, MVHR).  

Piers Sadler will discuss the AECB building standard, its benefits, and certification process – with a practical reflection on how it was achieved within a design and build contract. And Damon Rand will describe the Community Microgrid, which allows the development to generate electricity across its entire south facing roof-scape with a huge Battery Energy Storage System on site.  

The project is a radical example of what is possible for the future of housing in the UK, and the power of community-led, cohousing projects. 

ARB and RIBA Mandatory CPD Requirements

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.

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

About the speakers

Sam Goss, Founding Director, Barefoot Architects 

Sam is Founding Director of Barefoot Architects in Bristol, an RIBA Chartered Practice established in 2014 to inspire and enable individuals and communities to transform the way they live. Sam leads on a range of community-led housing projects, retrofit, and new-build homes across the South of the UK. The practice, with offices in Bristol and Totnes, co-designs projects with clients that are unique, ecological and socially responsible. Sam is a chartered architect with a dual qualification in landscape architecture and has over 20 years of industry experience. 

Piers Sadler, Founding Director, Delta Q 

Piers is the founding Director of Passivhaus and building sustainability specialists Delta Q. With a background in environmental science, Piers has spent most of the last ten years specialising in design and construction of low energy, sustainable buildings, particularly Passivhaus. His experience includes a wide variety of construction methods across new and existing domestic and non-domestic projects. Piers has recently overseen the introduction of Net Zero Consultancy, dynamic overheating modelling and up front and whole life carbon to Delta Q’s range of services offered. He is an AECB Building Standard certifier, and a trainer in PHPP modelling and construction with Co-Action Passivhaus training.  

Damon Rand, Founder and Head of Product, CEPRO Energy 

With almost two decades of experience in the renewable energy sector, Damon co-founded CEPRO and leads the product team. His focus is turning complex energy infrastructure into practical, market-ready solutions. CEPRO’s mission is to empower communities to become self-sufficient, resilient, and sustainable through the deployment of renewables with smart technology and innovative business models. Damon talks widely on bringing microgrids and virtual power plants to market; cleantech innovations; and accelerating the energy transition at local scale.   

About The Green Register's Community Case Studies Series 

This session forms part of our new TGR Community Case Studies Series. The Green Register is proud to present some of our members’ fantastic work as part of this series of 2-hour live online sessions. We’ll provide an insight into a range of different projects from a sustainability angle. Look out for more sessions coming soon.