House Planning Help

HPH403: From landlord to high-performance developer – with David Bradley-Bowles

Ben — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:52:53 +0000

David Bradley-Bowles, Director and Consultant at Pure Spring Meadows, explains his shift from landlord and renovator of Victorian properties to developer of more than 40 new-build Passivhaus homes. He shares hard-won lessons on scaling up, financing sustainable projects, protecting quality on site, and hints as to where the future of high-performance housing might lie. Interview […]

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HPH402: What would make a local developer deliver to Passivhaus standard?

Ben — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:21:46 +0000

Developer Giles Lamb and architect Zara Bloomfield explain why they have started delivering certified Passivhaus homes, what extra challenges this presents and how they remain profitable projects. Visualisation of Chequers Hill Interview with Giles Lamb and Zara Bloomfield Giles Lamb is the son of an architect and he grew up in a characterful Victorian coach […]

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HPH401: Let’s build something

Ben — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:27:58 +0000

Ben Adam-Smith explains why he plans to take on a new mission, and why that'll mean a slight change of direction and more collaboration. Ben and his family on their building plot in 2017 A new chapter begins After 14 years and 400 episodes exploring what we should be building in the 21st Century, Ben […]

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HPH400: Three couples build a terrace of three Passivhaus homes

Ben — Sat, 30 May 2026 09:55:19 +0000

Bill Butcher and Chris Herring, founders of 21 Degrees, share details of their own group build, a small terrace of three homes in Marsden, West Yorkshire, designed and built to Passivhaus Plus standard. Bill and Chris on site Interview with Bill Butcher and Chris Herring Bill Butcher and Chris Herring, founders of 21 Degrees, have […]

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HPH399: The Good Building Book – with Jon Broome and Nick Grant…

Ben — Tue, 19 May 2026 10:01:14 +0000

Jon Broome and Nick Grant explain why they have written The Good Building Book, what's in it, who it will help and how best to put it all into practice. Interview with Nick Grant and Jon Broome Architect Jon Broome and engineer Nick Grant have years of design and construction experience between them, and have […]

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HPH398: What does it take to create a bio-based Passivhaus? – with Janna and Seb Laan Lomas

Ben — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:32:54 +0000

Janna and Seb Laan Lomas explain the ethos behind their self build which blends low energy design and natural building while reducing plastics in the construction and also minimising waste. The level of detail, the decisions made and the careful use of the budget have been instrumental in delivering this fantastic project, which makes a […]

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HPH397: Sheep’s wool insulation and other natural fibre options – with Mark Lynn

Ben — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 10:07:45 +0000

Mark Lynn from Eden Renewable Innovations explains how sheep's wool insulation is made, outlines the pros and cons, and suggests how it is best specified and installed. He also shares some common traits of natural fibre insulation as a category. Interview with Mark Lynn In this episode Ben Adam‑Smith sits down with Mark Lynn, Managing Director of […]

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HPH396: Getting planning permission for a replacement dwelling – with Mark Doodes

Ben — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:13:05 +0000

Mark Doodes from Mark Doodes Planning explains what we mean by applying for planning permission to demolish and rebuild a house, how it is done, what some of the challenges might be and how to do as much as possible to improve your chances of a successful outcome. Interview with Mark Doodes Mark Doodes is […]

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HPH395: How easy is it to insure a natural building? – with Dr. James Glockling

Ben — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:47:48 +0000

Dr. James Glockling explains how insurance works and outlines some of the challenges of insuring a natural building. Interview with Dr. James Glockling Dr. James Glockling began his career with the Loss Prevention Council, the insurers’ hub for studying fire, security, flood and other loss‑mitigation challenges. He later deepened his expertise at the Building Research Establishment (BRE), and […]

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HPH394: Could you automate air sealing on a house build? – with Hugh Franklin

Ben — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:47:54 +0000

Hugh Franklin from Aeroseal UK explains how the airtightness of a building can be improved using a water-based, low VOC atomised polymer which is delivered when the building is pressurised. This simpler approach speeds up the process of air sealing and gives real-time feedback on the airtightness score. Interview with Hugh Franklin Hugh Franklin is […]

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