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co Arc is an award winning chartered architects practice and environmental design consultancy committed to carbon neutral sustainable design. Established in 1986 Andrew Yeats and Lucinda Nelson promote a holistic approach to ecological design.  
   

We have experience in a wide range of projects including: new build, conversion, rural, urban and regeneration work ranging from housing, commercial, leisure and health buildings within the private, public and voluntary sectors as well as partnerships.

   

Based in York in North Yorkshire, Runswick Bay in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park and Kentmere in Kendal Cumbria our work spans across both rural and urban areas, from Scotland in the north, down south to Hampshire and west across to Wales and the Isle of Man. We are happy to travel to seek out interesting environmentally orientated projects any where in the United Kingdom.
   
 
   
Findhorn Carbon Neutral Eco Village in Scotland

Our services
 

Eco Arc provide a comprehensive RIBA based professional architect and environmental deign service, which includes:
 
  		• Feasibility Studies, Environmental Design Studies and Business Plans. Covering outline sketch design proposals, land appraisal, funding / organisational option plans and business plans with cost estimates.
  		• Full RIBA RIAS Architect Design Services.
    With an integrated sustainable design approach creating healthy efficient buildings, aiming for a sustainable carbon neutral future, from initial planning designs through to completion on site.
  		• Project Management for Community Projects, Community Training and Self Build Initiatives.
    Including community participation and liaison, full business / project plans, training development, revenue and capital fund-raising, site appraisals and co-ordination of project implementation.
  		• Full Environmental Audits.
    An analysis of existing sites or buildings, developing an environmental strategy to improve energy efficiency and health conditions in existing buildings.
     
    Mike Rochester's low energy eco house in Scotland
     
    Environmental design
     

    Our work in environmental design ranges from 'light' green to 'deep' green / carbon neutral depending on our clients' requirements and the opportunities of any given site.

     

    Light green design projects have included clients who want to include nominal environmental considerations within their design, for example housing associations' homes that are significantly better insulated than would usually be provided within the standard budgets available or owners of listed or traditional buildings who want to renovate or extend with natural healthy breathing materials.

     

    Deep green / carbon neutral design projects have included fully autonomous community buildings or private eco houses sustained from renewable energy generated on site, which are almost certainly amongst the 'greenest' and healthiest projects constructed in the United Kingdom. This super insulated, low energy buildings provide all their own power from sun and wind using a range of renewable energies including photovoltaics, wind turbines and hydropower. They collect and recycle their own rainwater and treat their own sewage wastes biologically on site. The buildings contain no toxins, formaldehyde or other volatile solvents to create a healthy internal environment.

     

    We particularly enjoy working collaboratively with clients to design beautiful and healthy buildings built to the highest Scandinavian standards incorporating best practice in low energy, passive & active solar design, utilising low embodied materials, renewable wind & solar technologies, biological sewage treatments, water recycling systems and perm-culture landscaping all within a holistic frame work.

     
    Runswick Bay eco renovation project
     
    20 Common Zero CO2 Ecological Features Of Our Projects
     
    1. Super insulated building fabric with efficient insulation in roofs, walls and floors. (U-value< 0.12 Watts/m2 °C)
       
    2. Integrated heat retaining thermal mass to walls and floors to a minimum 75% of visible surface area.
       
    3. Passive solar design through orientation, window layout and integration of solar pre heat buffer spaces.
       
    4. Super efficient glazing; double or triple glazed units (U-value< 0.8 Watts/m2 °C).
       
    5. Airtight construction tested to achieve 1.5 to 5 air changes per hour at 50 Pascal’s.
       
    6. Passive heat recovery ventilation using a natural ventilation system linked with night-time purge ventilation
       
    7. Maximised day lighting to all habitable rooms & workspaces
       
    8. Solar shading covering 100% of the glazed aperture at noontime in summer to prevent over heating.
       
    9. On site renewable energy production - hot water solar panels, solar photovoltaic cells, hydropower, wind power, ground source heat pumps, and bio mass boiler systems.
       
    10. Non-chemical, biological on site sewage treatment system, reed bed systems, leach fields and composting toilets.
       
    11. Water conservation - low flush toilets, Rainharvester collection and recycling of rainwater for domestic & potable use. Implementation of a ground water sustainable urban drainage system. SUD’s  
       
    12. All timber from FSC certified sustainably managed forests, UK locally grown where possible.
       
    13. Locally sourced recycled materials or reclaimed materials rather than virgin sourced materials.
    14. Non-toxic solvent free natural organic paints and stains internally and externally.
       
    15. Bio diverse natural Sedum roofs promoting catchment of rain run off and local wildlife.
    16. Suspended floors to avoid build up of radon gas and promote natural ventilation.
    17. Boarding without the use of toxic urea formaldehyde glues or resins.
    18. Isolating electric circuits to reduce electromagnetic field stress.
       
    19. Landscaping which supports the local eco system.
    20. Low energy lighting design and low energy A* domestic rated appliances through out.

    		 
    David Johnson's zero CO2 eco house
    Regeneration, Community Self Build and Community Training
    Social Dimensions of the Eco Arc Sustainable Design Service
    Social Housing:

    Eco Arc has retained a commitment to social justice actively seeking opportunities to provide sustainable architecture to all sections of society and particularly for the socially or economically disadvantaged. We have initiated projects for ‘urban regeneration’ in deprived inner city areas, set up ‘community self build housing projects’ and community skills training projects for homeless people, Ex-offenders (recently released from prison) and long term unemployed people.

    Our interest in including social and economic considerations within the pre design, design and procurement processes has led to a series low cost, low energy sustainable social housing projects and community development work with regional regeneration partnerships.

    The projects we have been involved with as both the architects and project workers include the following multiple dwelling community self build projects:  Huddersfield Self Build in West Yorkshire, Grove Hill Self Build Phase 1 & 2 in Middlesborough, Maltby Youth Self Build in South Yorkshire, Lincoln Self Build in Lincolnshire, Rotherham Self Build in South Yorkshire, Skelton Self Build in Cleveland, East Leeds Women’s Self Build in North Yorkshire and 505 Hostel Self Build in Middlesborough.

    York Zero CO2 Environmental Education Centre

    The above projects have included setting up integrated skills training for project participants with local T.E.C. colleges, integrating the provision of constructing new build housing with job creation employment and on site skills training.  We have been involved in all aspects from developing the project feasibility / business plan, sourcing local participants to form a self build group, setting up a housing cooperative, developing a project model to co-ordinating steering groups and coordinating community liaison.

    To make the projects viable we have carried out revenue fund raising including, European, Single Regeneration Budget, Training Enterprise Council, Lottery and other sources to finance the homeless people, Ex-offenders and long term unemployed people to build their own houses in partnership with a local Housing Association. We have identified content and delivery of building skills NVQ training, through to housing project completion and ensuring post project ongoing employment support for the project participants. 

    Zero CO2 Heeley City Farm project in Sheffield

    Projects for People with Special Needs:

    Eco Arc has made a conscious effort to provide sustainable development through participatory design for projects involving people with special needs whether that be metal or physical disabilities in the local community. Such projects include a MIND Complimentary Health Centre at Prestwich Metal Health Hospital, A training and Resource Education Centre for people with special needs at Heeley City Farm and a MIND Craft Workshop for people with special needs in Wakefield. 
    Economic Dimensions of the Eco Arc Sustainable Design Service
    Eco Arc have been involved in a series of community based, skills training, employment youth projects employing, mostly previously unemployed people, on a range of environmentally based enterprises, including York Environmental Education Centre and a Training and Resource Education Centre at Heeley City Farm.
    Locally raised money was used to lever out support from English Partnerships (now Yorkshire Forward), the European Regional Development Fund and Single Regeneration Budget amongst others.
    The projects have germinated from derelict urban sites to being large local employers. Eco Arc continues to develop its aim of bringing economic prosperity to areas and to people who have consistently been left behind by mainstream economic development. 
    The new sustainably designed facilities are an important symbol of what the project is trying to do for its community and an affirmation that community economic regeneration demands the highest standards of quality and investment in the poorest sectors of society. The farm has worked hard to move on from high grant dependency to a more entrepreneurial approach to meeting social need.  It was always intended that creating sustainable environmentally conscious buildings on its site would raise its profile and help establish it as a regional centre for environmental action.

    Environmental and financial sustainability can come together if our commitment to meeting the needs of deprived communities and excluded individuals are balanced with a sound business model that recognises the value of being green.

    Eco Arc’s sustainable building designs for community projects have very low running costs, are healthier and cheaper to run for clients who often have very limited revenue funding for day to day expenses. Promoting ecological design in developing sustainable renewable technologies promotes the market, increases demand and ultimately reduces the cost of sustainable and renewable technologies for consumers and users of buildings.
    Flaxton zero CO2 eco cabin project in York
     
    Eco Arc Professional Associations
     
  		• Associates members of the Royal Institute of British Architects
     
  		• Corporate members of the Royal Incorporation of Scottish Architects
     
  		• Members of the Ecological Design Association
     
  		• Members of the Association for Environment Conscious Buildings
     
  		• Founding Members of the Yorkshire Ecological Design Association ( YEDA )
       
    For more information find out about our strategy, or see our case studies, before contacting us for an informal chat about your project.
             
     
     
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