Sustainability consultants HLMGreenBuild, with offices in Belfast, has won the rural category at this year's UK Passivhaus Trust Awards for its design of Tigh na Croit.

The awards recognise Passivhaus buildings across the UK that are designed to meet the most stringent energy standards in two categories – urban and rural. They also celebrate the progress that has been made in the design of Passivhaus, with the combination of sustainability and visually attractive design.

HLMGreenBuild is an association between leading design and architecture company, HLM and GreenBuild Consult providing comprehensive, design-led, integrated sustainability consultancy.

Located in the Scottish Highlands, Tigh na Croit is one of the most northerly certified Passivhaus schemes in the UK. The white rendered, three-bedroom home achieves an 80% reduction in energy through considered orientation, simple architectural form, simple crisp detailing, high levels of air tightness and a super insulated building fabric.

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The dwelling is a high quality, low energy, environmentally responsible house which takes Highland rural context as inspiration. The new home complements its mountainous setting, enhances its local township and captures spectacular views. The result is a highly liveable, simple and well executed home for the 21st Century.

As a Passivhaus certified project, Tigh na Croit demonstrates that even in remote locations such as parts of Scotland and Ireland, it is possible to build to Passivhaus standards by using locally available skills and materials to achieve energy efficiency. The house is also future proofed to allow for PV installation, enabling it to further offset carbon emissions and potentially become carbon positive.

The ethos behind HLMGreenBuild is that only by designing to a specific performance, such as Passivhaus, can the widely known high levels of thermal comfort and low running costs be achieved.

Federico Montella at HLMGreenbuild, said: "This award has enabled us to demonstrate that there's no need to compromise between high energy efficiency and design. This combination is possible, but it is the right collaboration between the two that is key to a project's success.

"By offering an integrated design and sustainability service, HLMGreenBuild created a platform for architects and sustainability experts to work together on a concept, from the outset, exploring products, materials and design together as one team."

The Passivhaus Trust is an independent, non-profit organisation that provides leadership in the UK for the adoption of the Passivhaus standard and methodology, which is the leading international low energy, design standard.

HLM provides architecture, landscape and urban design, interiors and environmental design to the commercial and public sectors in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, GB and internationally. The company has grown significantly in Northern Ireland within the last year and now employs 13 people.

(CD/MH)