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Progress in Practice

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Progress in Practice

Sustainable architecture and design, with an emphasis on genuine client engagement and community

19/08/2026

🏛️ Central Lodge hits its Passivhaus EnerPHit airtightness target!

This Grade II Listed Lodge in Birkenhead Park is being retrofitted and extended to Passivhaus EnerPHit standard and is on track for completion this autumn 🏗️

The existing building has been upgraded with wood fibre insulation, recycled newspaper insulation and lime plaster, chosen for being breathable and low carbon. Aerogel has helped tackle tricky thermal bridges along the way.

Why does airtightness matter so much on a listed building?

Old buildings are full of awkward junctions and details never built with airtightness in mind — so getting it right takes real skill. The payoff:

🌬️ No more cold draughts. Instead a stable, comfortable temperature all year
💷 Less heat lost = lower running costs
🫁 Fresh air. Airtightness works hand-in-hand with a certified MVHR system, so fresh air is constantly and efficiently exchanged without losing all that hard-won heat.
🧱 Less risk of damp and decay, vital for preserving a historic building long-term

EnerPHit sets the retrofit target at below 1.0 air changes per hour @ 50Pa. On Central Lodge, the team achieved an impressive 0.96 ACH@50pa, a fantastic result for a building of this age and complexity, and testament to the skill and care taken on site.

Watch this space for more updates 👀

Passivhaus Trust Aeroseal UK Ecospheric Zero Energy

12/08/2026

We're delighted to share that Manchester City Council has approved planning for a phased retrofit project in Whalley Range — and we couldn't be happier for our clients, who've been fantastic to work with throughout.

The scheme includes:
🧱 External wall insulation
🌬️ New ventilation strategy
🪟 Triple glazing
🔒 Airtightness improvements

Securing consent for a deep retrofit of this scale within a conservation area isn't easy — it takes real care to balance heritage character with genuine energy performance gains. This approval is a great example of what's possible when thoughtful retrofit design meets a council willing to support ambitious, fabric-first upgrades.

We're looking forward to getting started and will share progress as the project develops.

06/08/2026

We're delighted to share that Julie has successfully passed her exam for the Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency Measures for Older and Traditional Buildings!

This qualification gives Julie an even deeper understanding of how to improve the energy efficiency of older and traditional buildings while protecting their historic character and original features.

As an experienced architect and qualified PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinator, Julie already brings a wealth of expertise to our projects. This latest achievement further strengthens her ability to deliver energy-efficient retrofit solutions that respect the unique qualities of older and traditional buildings.

Congratulations, Julie, on this well-deserved achievement! 👏🏡🔋

NOCN Group

29/07/2026

This afternoon, Progress in Practice joined Manchester Care and Repair in to talk with the local community about the Barrack Street Project!

This exciting project aims to transform an iconic local landmark into a community hub, offering facilities and a welcoming place for local people to come together. The project will also focus on retrofitting the fabric, reducing energy demand and coming off fossil fuels to give this historic building a more sustainable future. 🌱

We invited residents and community members to share their ideas: how the space should be used, how it should look and feel, and their hopes for the future of this beautiful building. 💬

Thank you to everyone who came along and got involved - your voice is shaping what this space will become! 🙌

08/07/2026

Silver Wings Passivhaus! We are delighted to share that our lovely client’s new home has officially been certified as a !

We visited last month to deliver the Passivhaus Certificate and Plaque with Certifier for the scheme, Jesus from Zero Energy.

Our visit coincided with the peak of the last heat wave and we’re happy to report that the house was exceptionally comfortable! This is achieved through a substantial canopy shading the south, east and west elevations, a cross ventilation strategy of opening windows and of course exceptional insulation and air tightness.

Sadly the whole team couldn’t be there, but luckily we snapped Stephen and Sam when the project completed, with one very happy customer. The care, craft and determination put in by this project team (inc. our lovely client) has delivered on both performance and finish - well done everyone!

See if you can spot our furry helpers in there too!

Passivhaus Trust

29/06/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who made it out on the hottest day of the year to visit our client's lovely project! We genuinely weren't sure if anyone was going to turn up given the extreme heat, so we are very grateful for the effort that people put into attending and the enthusiasm they brought to the session.

It was a great afternoon speaking with people who are new to , as well as seasoned professionals with their own great stories to share. The project is a really good example of retrofit strategies, demonstrating quality of work and attention to detail, so it was a pleasure to be able to share this with so many people.

We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our client, Chris, who provided great insight into the journey of a retrofitter and was so generous in letting us invite people into his home.

Also to Nathan and Charles from Stoic Homes for making the site spotless, providing cool beverages and answering questions left, right and centre.

And of course Paul from Eco Home Windows who brought a full-size window sample and everyone's favourite specially-made cupcakes!

And finally, thank you to our little helpers...all of them!

Until next time...

Passivhaus Trust

23/06/2026

Last chance to get tickets to visit our client's project in Ormskirk, this Thursday 25th June at 5.30pm.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1990096693783?aff=oddtdtcreator

The first tour has sold out, so we only have this slot left - but we would love for you to join us. We will be giving a tour, answering questions and explaining why details like this 👆 are so important.

There will be opportunity to speak with:
- Nathan from Stoic Homes (Main Contractor)
- Paul from Eco Home Windows & Doors (Triple Glazing supply/install)
- Julie, Eunice and Hannah from Progress in Practice (Architects & Passivhaus Consultants)
..and there may even be rumours of 🍰 cake 🍰

This project is small, but it is aiming for great things. Not only is the energy demand being minimised, through fabric optimisation and a small heat pump, but it is also generating significant amounts of energy on site using solar panels.

So far the build has surpassed expectations in terms of quality, meaning that the performance is actually better than what was originally modelled. It not only eliminates the performance gap, but goes way beyond its design targets!

Hope to see you there!

Passivhaus Trust
Ecospheric

09/06/2026

Join us for the Passivhaus Trust 's Summer Open Days 2026!

We are taking part with our fantastic client and collaborators at Stoic Homes and Eco Home Windows, giving you the opportunity to visit a small but mighty home.

This 1960s bungalow is being transformed into a super low energy, accessible home, with exceptional comfort levels. We'll be looking at how this is achieved.

You are invited to join us for 🍰 cake 🍰 and ❓ questions❓ on *Thursday 25th June*, whilst looking around this ambitious in Ormskirk. There are two time slots available, booking essential:

🕓 4pm on Thursday 25th June - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1990093808152?aff=oddtdtcreator

🕠 5.30pm on Thursday 25th June - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1990096693783?aff=oddtdtcreator

💚 We look forward to seeing you there! 💚

29/05/2026

We are super excited to introduce you to the newest member of our team, everyone please meet Eunice!

Eunice is an experienced Architectural Designer with a passion for community-focussed design. She has worked on the design and delivery of a wide range of new-build and retrofit projects, with a strong emphasis on marrying community engagement with building performance; creating high quality people-centred spaces.

Eunice applies these rigorous design and construction skills to a smaller scale by creating wearable garments in her spare time: knit, sew, crochet, in an effort to be more conscious about consumer habits and textile waste. Eunice also enjoys discovering new places to eat and is always open to new recommendations.

18/05/2026

In January this year we had the pleasure of welcoming Andy Burnham to our lovely client's in Trafford. Andy came to see the project as it is an exemplar of low energy retrofit and is in the process of being certified as Trafford's first home!

His comments on the scheme were that...

💚 "All retrofits should be done to this standard"💚

We totally agree. Why shouldn't everyone have access to a warm, comfortable home that is affordable to heat! This feels like an ambition fit for the 21st Century.

If you would like to hear more of Andy's thoughts on the project, watch him on Channel 4's "Guy Martin's House Without Bills", still available on demand.

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