17 services · Sussex & Surrey
Residential
Extensions, conversions and whole-home projects for homeowners, with site visits across West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey.
Extensions
Sustainable Architectural Design Services
Low Energy Homes and Buildings, Designed Fabric First. Sussex, Surrey and UK-Wide.
Why Clients Trust ArchEvolve With Sustainable Design
Sustainable design is decided early, in the form, orientation and fabric of a building, not added at the end. ArchEvolve is MCIAT-chartered and builds energy performance into the design from the first 3D model, then details it to meet Building Regulations.
- 15 years of experience
- 350 planning approvals secured
- 500 projects completed
- Revit 3D modelling as standard
- MCIAT-chartered accreditation
Our services
Sustainable Design Across Our Services
Our guide to building an eco-friendly home explains the principles. We apply them to self-build homes, whole house refurbishments and new build housing schemes, and detail them in our Building Regulations drawings.
20 services · Nationwide
Developers & Commercial
Planning and technical design for developers and commercial clients across England.
Developer services
Site & feasibility
15 services · Homeowners and developers
Planning & Drawings
From the first feasibility check to construction drawings, in the order a project needs them.
01Feasibility & survey
02Planning
03Technical & construction
Sustainable Architectural Design Services That Start With the Fabric
Sustainable architectural design services reduce the energy a building needs before any technology is added. We take a fabric first approach: well-insulated walls, floors and roofs, careful detailing to limit thermal bridging and air leakage, windows sized and placed for orientation, and ventilation that keeps air quality high. Low carbon heating such as a heat pump then has far less work to do, and running costs stay low.
Common challenges
- Heating bills that stay high despite new boilers or gadgets
- Rooms that overheat in summer behind large south-facing windows
- Insulation upgrades that cause condensation and damp
- Heat pumps installed in buildings that lose too much heat
- Part L targets missed late, forcing costly redesigns
- High embodied carbon from material choices made by default
How ArchEvolve solves them
- Fabric first design that cuts heat demand at source
- Orientation, shading and window sizes balanced for solar gain
- Build-ups and ventilation detailed to manage moisture
- Insulation and airtightness designed to suit low temperature heating
- Energy performance checked from concept, not after planning
- Lower carbon materials and retained structure considered early
How an ArchEvolve Project Works
Sustainable design runs through seven steps, so the big energy decisions are made when they cost least to change.
Goals and Budget
We agree how far you want to go, from comfortably meeting Building Regulations to a very low energy home, and what budget supports that.
Site and Orientation
We study sun paths, overshadowing, exposure and views, so the form and layout of the building work with the site rather than against it.
Fabric First Concept
We set target insulation, airtightness and window performance at concept stage and test the form and window proportions in the Revit model.
Overheating Check
We review window sizes, shading and ventilation to limit summer overheating, which new homes in England must address under Part O.
Heating and Ventilation
We plan space for low carbon heating such as heat pumps, and for ventilation such as heat recovery, working with specialist engineers where needed.
Technical Detailing
We detail junctions to limit thermal bridging and air leakage, and coordinate the drawings with the energy assessor's calculations.
Compliance and Delivery
We produce Building Regulations drawings with the specification needed to meet Part L, and support the contractor so the performance designed is the performance built.
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Areas we cover
Sustainable Design Across Sussex and Surrey
Residential projects across West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey, with site visits and local planning knowledge. Developer and commercial projects are delivered across England.
3Counties
14Towns
UKDevelopers
West Sussex11 towns
Developer or commercial project outside Sussex?
We work across England →Testing Energy Decisions in a 3D Model
On a 2D drawing, orientation and shading are hard to judge. ArchEvolve models every scheme in Revit and renders it in Enscape, so you can see sunlight, shadow and window placement through the day before the design is fixed.
Sunlight Visualised
Every design is modelled in Revit and rendered in Enscape at different times of day, so you can see how sun, shade and daylight work before building.
Right First Time
Energy performance is considered from the first concept, so Building Regulations compliance is designed in rather than forced through late, costly redesigns.
Local Climate Knowledge
ArchEvolve designs across coastal and rural Sussex and Surrey, where exposure, orientation and older building fabric all shape the right sustainable approach.
Designed by One Person
Alex Page leads every sustainable design project personally, from concept to technical drawings, so energy decisions are never lost in a handover to junior staff.
Sustainable Design in Sussex, Surrey and the UK
ArchEvolve provides sustainable architectural design for homeowners across West Sussex, East Sussex and Surrey, and for property developers anywhere in the UK, working remotely over Teams.
What do your sustainable architectural design services include?
The service covers site and orientation analysis, a fabric first concept with target insulation and airtightness levels, an overheating check, planning for low carbon heating and ventilation, junction detailing, and Building Regulations drawings that carry the energy strategy through to construction.
What does fabric first mean?
Fabric first means reducing heat loss through the building itself, with insulation, airtightness and good windows, before adding technology such as heat pumps or solar panels. The fabric lasts for the life of the building. Our eco-friendly home guide explains more.
What is Part L of the Building Regulations?
Part L covers the conservation of fuel and power. It sets limits on heat loss through walls, roofs, floors and windows, and new homes must meet energy and carbon targets shown by calculation. Our Building Regulations drawings include the specification needed to comply.
Is a heat pump right for my home?
Heat pumps work best in well-insulated, airtight buildings with suitably sized radiators or underfloor heating. We check whether the fabric is good enough, plan space for the outdoor unit and hot water cylinder, and confirm whether the installation needs planning permission or can rely on permitted development.
Can you make an existing home or building more sustainable?
Yes. Retrofit needs care, because adding insulation to older walls can trap moisture if detailed badly. Our PHS Highdown project introduced new exterior materials to improve thermal performance in line with updated Building Regulations. For homes, see our house refurbishment service.
What is embodied carbon and does it matter?
Embodied carbon is the carbon released in making materials and constructing a building. Building Regulations in England focus on operational energy, so reducing embodied carbon is usually a design choice, through retaining existing structure, using timber and avoiding over-specified materials. Some councils ask about it on larger schemes.
Does sustainable design cost more to build?
Some measures, such as thicker insulation and better windows, add cost. Others, such as good orientation, a compact form and sensible window placement, cost little or nothing if decided early. The aim is to spend where it reduces running costs most and avoid paying for features that add little.
Do you design sustainable housing developments?
Yes. For developers anywhere in the UK, we apply the same fabric first approach to multi-unit schemes, which helps with Part L compliance across every house type and with energy statements some councils request. See our residential development design service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Sustainable Design Project Today
Free initial consultation for homeowners in Sussex and Surrey and developers UK-wide. Tell us what you want your building to achieve.
