• Designed heating demand 14.8 kWh/m2/yr

• Designed Renewable energy generation 65 kWh/m2/yr
   

Designed as a next-generation rural Passivhaus, Pinfields is an unassumingly bold proposal for a new family home in the Worcestershire Green Belt. If approved, the project will replace an existing dwelling with an impactful low-energy home that is both ten times more energy efficient and significantly larger than the original footprint. Seeking Passivhaus Plus standards, the scheme navigates the inherent challenges of a north-facing orientation while preserving and enhancing the rural setting.

 

The scope of the project was to deliver a contemporary home of outstanding environmental performance, capable of long-term adaptability and built to last, while embracing the panoramic north-facing views that defined the site’s appeal. This orientation, typically unfavourable for Passivhaus standards, demanded a strong architectural response to manage solar gain and heat loss while maximising visual connections to the surrounding landscape.

 

Set within the Green Belt, the project required a careful, context-led approach. Its massing and position are deliberately low-slung and discreet, balancing contemporary design with a sensitivity to the open character of the countryside. A clear and collaborative relationship with the local planning authority has underpinned the proposal, with ongoing positive engagement recognising the scheme’s high-quality design and energy ambitions.

 

Architecturally, Pinfields is defined by clarity and restraint: an elongated linear form with deep-set openings, generous overhangs and carefully considered landscaping that enhances privacy and biodiversity. The house is wrapped in a continuously insulated envelope with triple glazing, minimal thermal bridging and MVHR, ensuring thermal comfort, airtightness and optimal indoor air quality year-round.

 

Biodiversity enhancements are substantial: the scheme proposes a 151% net gain through extensive native hedgerow planting and the reinstatement of a traditional orchard – reconnecting the site to its ecological and agricultural past. A 25kW peak solar PV array, capable of generating significant surplus energy for the local community, raises the scheme to Passivhaus Plus performance.

 

Awaiting determination, Pinfields already signals a subtle step change in how rural homes can respond to context, energy, ecology and the future of family living.