in progress
Care in the community
The UK’s first ultra low energy, PassivHaus retrofit community centre opens this spring. Tom James talks to Justin Bere, the architect behind the scheme.
THE Mayville estate in Islington, London is ranked as one of top 10 per cent most deprived areas in the capital, and yet its community centre is leading the way in sustainable design. As a focal point for local residents,
Mayville Community Centre is a valuable community resource. Built around 1890 and converted to a community centre in the 1970s, the aim of its £2.2m refurbishment is to provide a building that meets the needs of locals without wasting financial resources on large energy bills. To achieve this, the architect for the
project, Justin Bere of Bere Architects, is applying the PassivHaus principles to the refurbishment. Created by German engineers and architects more than 20 years ago, the standard is widely used for building and refurbishment in Europe. Characterised by thick walls, triple glazed windows and a heat recovery system, the PassivHaus building model is attracting growing support in the UK. Some of the world’s leading proponents
of the concept gathered in London last October at the UK PassivHaus Conference to deliver research and present case studies to architects, designers, planners, building and energy consultants as well as housing developers. Bere was one of the keynote presenters and is at the phalanx of the PassivHaus movement. Having spent his early years in an African Bush environment, Bere has long recognised the holistic benefits of nature in building. Once trained and established, he quickly spotted the need and potential for construction methods that work with the environment, and that adopt strict principles of sustainable development. He first came into contact with the ideas of PassivHaus building when designing his own house in 2000.
“It seemed sensible, without even doing any maths, to use insulation of around 300mm and to design for draught free construction by incorporating triple glazing,” he recalls. Concerned about maintaining air quality in a draught free building, Bere consulted friend and services engineer Max Fordham, who suggested using heat
recovery ventilation, a concept that was unfamiliar to Bere at the time.
European influence Having advocated sustainable development since founding his practice in 1994, it’s not surprising that Bere is keen to see these principles applied across all sectors.
Architect Justin Bere believes there’s huge scope for PassivHaus in the UK leisure market
bflmagazine.co.uk 39
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