Net Zero Studio

When taken together with the ‘Fabric First’ emphasis of the Future Homes standard, the need for change within the construction industry is compelling. Using Natural Building System’s modular solution, the project explores the potential for buildings to act as net-carbon sinks using UK grown feedstock materials.

Funded by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership through the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund, this small studio project demonstrates how ‘fabric-first’ and circular economy principles can be applied to entire building elements, rather than simply materials, through a unique pre-fabricated natural building system. By using natural and carbon sequestering materials, in a highly adaptable system, it offers a solution for the built environment – without expecting the natural environment to pay the price.

Although small, this project demonstrates a comprehensive kit of parts, suitable for use in any scale of building. It is comprised of structural panels which can be used up to three stories or eight stories with an additional engineered timber frame. Within each cassette, Hempsil® insulation helps regulate temperature and relative humidity to reduce heating and cooling loads.

Prefabricated off site using standardised components and designed for disassembly, the building can be repositioned and reassembled in different configurations, demonstrating how buildings can be adapted without waste.

The University of Suffolk’s Institute of Sustainability have installed thermal, air quality and humidity sensors to enable data to be gathered on the buildings thermal performance in order to validate the building systems thermal efficiency.