Professionals

Support in designing and retrofitting sustainable housing and mixed-use developments

Airtightness workshop

Independent advice

Work with me to gain insights and practical recommendations on design, construction methods and how to optimise insulation, airtightness, natural lighting, heating and ventilation. I can advise on:

Optimal building form, orientation, thermal mass and solar shading to take advantage of passive solar gain.
Designing in airtightness and low thermal bridging from the start of a project.
Passive House standards as the best way to minimise energy demand.
Designing with centralised service voids and stacked wet rooms to minimise pipe runs and reduce heat loss.
Choosing and allowing the space needed for renewable energy technologies.
Cutting carbon emissions in operation, construction and embodied in building materials, including the re-use of materials already on site.
Designing buildings to be simpler to run.

Planning for climate resilience

Get support in considering broader environmental factors in your designs, such as how to:

Future-proof buildings against climate change, including flood resilience and overheating.
Improve biodiversity through plantings, green roofs and green walls.
Design future-friendly shared outdoor spaces.

Sustainable design services

Advice and in-depth consultancy on sustainable design and construction
Analysing plans and recommending changes to make developments more sustainable
Feasibility studies on renewable technologies
Thermal analysis using specialist software to establish energy use and prevent overheating
Sustainability reports to show a project meets and surpasses planning approval standards
Training and workshops on sustainability
Input into sustainability policy documents for local governments.

Case Study

Consultancy for Brighton & Hove Council

A long-term collaboration with the Council’s Planning and Sustainability Team has helped to lower the carbon footprint of developments in the city.

From 2006 to 2020, I worked with principle planning officers at Brighton & Hove Council, reviewing plans and meeting with applicants to discuss changes that would make their designs more sustainable. Training sessions on sustainable building design also enabled planning staff to confidently request comprehensive, achievable changes to designs, right down to improving airtightness and thermal bridging.

I contributed to the city’s overall sustainability policy, as well as working with the planning team to develop guidance for homeowners on energy efficiency for historic houses in Conservation Areas (pdf) and guidance on external wall insulation (pdf). To make the planning process simpler for applicants and ensure sustainability targets were met, we also developed a Sustainability checklist.

Case Study

Mixed-use development in London

Sustainable design measures on this London development reduced carbon emissions by 20% below the council’s stringent requirements.

Commissioned by architects Turner Associates, I advised on using passive solar design, natural lighting, high levels of insulation, airtightness with reduced thermal bridging, energy-efficient lighting and heating controls plus smart meters. I also developed a home user guide to influence residents’ behaviour.

After evaluating renewable heating options, I recommended compact heat pumps, photovoltaic panels and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery. Work included writing a successful planning application, introducing the team to specialist suppliers and bringing them up to speed on renewable technologies.

Case Study

Design reviews for the South Downs National Park

My voluntary work with other professionals for the Design Review Panel is rewarding as it reduces carbon emissions, improves the climate resilience of developments and encourages the design to be “landscape-led”.

As part of my role I review plans for developments that fall within the South Downs National Park (such as The Phoenix neighbourhood in Lewes) and work with applicants to improve their designs. This involves making them aware of the design implications of choices around building form, orientation and renewable technologies, as well as introducing them to measures to future-proof against environmental factors such as flooding and heatwaves.

“…while Maria has a great eye for detail and is very academic in her approach, she is also astutely aware of the bigger picture and the challenging environmental drivers that are bearing down on us globally. Her technical knowledge and passion for the sustainability agenda are matched by a great compassion and warmth which enables good working relations with everyone.”

Francesca Iliffe, previously Sustainability Officer at Brighton & Hove City Council.

“Combines technical knowledge and practical experience to show how energy and water use can be reduced, whilst incorporating renewable technologies and biodiversity as an integral part of the scheme…capable of working directly and effectively with our clients.”

John Turner, RIBA Turner Associates

“Maria has been a very active member of the South Downs National Park Design Review Panel since June 2020 and her knowledge and experience has been invaluable to the design review process. She has made all involved in the process understand and learn how important it is to design in sustainability right from the start to achieve highly sustainable zero carbon developments that work with the landscape”

Mark Penfold, RIBA Macallen Penfold and chair of South Down National Park Design Review Panel

“…an enthusiastic and regular member of DRP review sessions and workshops. Her expertise in sustainable construction is particularly valued.”

Mark Waller-Gutierrez, Specialist Lead, South Downs National Park Authority

“…ability to convey important messages to people without significant knowledge or skills in the area of housing and environmental impact…to communicate knowledge in a positive way to encourage a positive response”

Mike Thompson, Previous program leader, MSc Advanced Energy and Environmental Studies, Centre for Alternative Technology

“Technically adept in sustainable construction methods…a brilliant understanding of airtight and low thermal bridge design.”

Jake White, Morgan Carn Architects

“Excellent knowledge and pragmatic approach towards energy efficiency modelling and advice…emerging as one of the few leaders in the passive housing field within the UK housing sector.”

Paul Ciniglio, Radian (now Albi) Housing group

“I have worked with Maria for years. She introduced us to Passive House design which has been of huge inspiration to me. She brings enormous experience of all aspects of low energy building and eco renovation, not only in the detail but also the bigger picture. I have always found her to be professional, creative, and fun to work with.“

Nicola Thomas, RIBA Arch Angels architects and land/property enabler Brighton & Hove Community Land Trust

Case Study

Place of worship

Measures implemented for the Brighton Buddhist Centre enabled immediate improvements in comfort and reduced energy use. It also gave them a long-term plan for reducing their costs and carbon emissions.

Following an energy survey, I recommended some policy changes, including closing internal doors to reduce draughts and heat loss, and switching off lights during the day. Longer-term measures to make the building warmer included draught-proofing leaky windows and doors, secondary glazing, and flat roof and floor insulation.

I further recommended a switch from gas to an air source heat pump. To help keep the costs of running the electric heat pump down, I recommended installing underfloor heating and adding photovoltaic panels on the flat roof. Along with identifying the ideal position of the heat pump in the garden, I advised on installing a French drain to manage water runoff in the garden, as well as adding bird boxes and more planting to improve biodiversity.

Case Study

Residential development in Brighton

A finalist in the Integrated Designs competition, this collaboration with Turner Associates Architects helped their residential development of seven low-level units gain planning permission and accolades.

The competition judges admired the elegant way in which a curved-chalk green roof to improve energy efficiency and enhance biodiversity was incorporated into ‘a very well-mannered scheme that would fit well into an existing residential neighbourhood’.

Other sustainability measure I advised on included solar shading, green walls and site plantings to mitigate the heat island effect of the building. I also specified suitable benign building components.