Bricks & Mortar
Some of the building materials that make up Etude. Case studies, articles and the occasional bit of news. We listen. We calculate. We communicate clearly. We care about what we do.
The (low) embodied carbon of solar PV
There is a myth that solar PV generation doesn’t ‘payback’ the initial embodied carbon that it takes to produce. We don’t think this is true.
A Net Zero Toolkit for homes
The Net Zero Toolkit covers a range of steps from pre-planning through to construction to help new and existing homes achieve net zero carbon.
The future of SAP calculations
Writing the brief for the next version of SAP, the statutory energy calculation software for residential construction.
Easi Guide to Passivhaus Design
Collaboration with Levitt Bernstein to produce a guide with 10 clear principles for achieving Passivhaus on multi-residential schemes.
Halving energy use in buildings
Collaborating with Julie Godefroy to produce the background report for recommendations to the Green Construction Board.
Thoughts and support for Extinction Rebellion
How XR can and should shape our work as building professionals. We support the urgency and focus of XR.
Proposing a renewable future for Bermuda
From consultation response to electricity grid analysis to crowd funding.
What a 1.5°C target means for UK buildings
Translating large scale carbon emission reduction targets into useful metrics for a local level.
Measuring site waste by material
Investigating the actual quantities of waste generated during construction.
Predicted energy consumption in BREEAM
Earn BREEAM credits, and more importantly get a more reliable estimate for future running costs, energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Heat pumps for low carbon heat in London
The key conclusions from our study for the GLA into the implications of a more widespread update of heat pumps in London. Download the full report here.
Masonry support system thermal performance
Masonry support systems, or brick shelves, are needed in buildings over three storeys. They have a big impact on thermal performance and could be better.
Acoustics and Overheating risk
A Best Practice session with Anthony Clifton from Max Fordham to join up thinking on internal noise and overheating risk.
Good practice guide to insulation
A short version of the Good Practice guide to insulation written for the Passivhaus Trust. Get good practice guidance on installing insulation.
Planning our time with Lego
We use a physical project planner to organise our time with lego bricks, a lego calendar. It’s an idea we borrowed from Special Projects