Oak-frame architect profile Eco Arc Ltd Ecological Architecture Practice

Eco Arc is an award-winning chartered architects practice and environmental design consultancy committed to sustainable design. The practice’s eco architects specialise in carbon-neutral eco (ecological) architecture, eco building and have a passion for green-oak post and beam frame structures.

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Green-oak frame carbon-neutral eco house

Established over twenty-four years ago in 1986 to promote a holistic approach to ecological carbon-neutral design. Eco Arc’s timber building designs typically generate their own ‘clean’ renewable energy, harvest their own water, recycle waste materials causing no pollution or CO2 emissions and are built from green-oak post and beam frame structures.

ECO ARC’S overall ecological aims are

To promote a holistic approach to sustainable design integrating environmental, economic and social sustainability within its work

Eco Arc strives to design beautiful and healthy timber buildings built to the highest possible ecological standards, which are cost-effective and fit sensitively into their surroundings, whilst fully responding to the needs and aspirations of each client.

The practice has experience in a wide range of green-oak 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, Eco Arc’s 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. Eco Arc architects are happy to travel to seek out interesting environmentally orientated green-oak projects anywhere in the United Kingdom.

ECO ARC’S services

Eco Arc provides a comprehensive RIBA-based professional architect and environmental design 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 timber buildings, aiming for a sustainable carbon-neutral future, from initial planning designs through to completion on site.

Environmental design

Eco Arc’s work in environmental design ranges from ‘light’ green to ‘deep’ green/carbon-neutral depending on the 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. These super insulated, low energy buildings provide all their own power from sun and wind using a range of renewable technologies 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 so create a healthy internal environment.

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

20 Common Zero-CO2 Ecological Features Of ECO ARC’S Projects

  1. Super insulated building fabric with efficient insulation in green-oak framed roofs, walls and floors (U-value< 0.10 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 less than 1.0 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals
  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 biomass 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 and potable use. Implementation of a groundwater sustainable urban drainage system (SUDs)
  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 used 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 ecosystem
  20. Low energy lighting design and low energy A* domestic rated appliances throughout

contact information

Eco Arc Ltd Ecological Architecture Practice

High Fold
Kentmere
Kendal
Cumbria
LA8 9JP

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More information

  • Member of
  • Awards
    • Daily Telegraph - Ecological House Of The Year Award.
    • Fine Homes Magazine - Environmental House Of The Year Design Award.
    • United Nations - Best Practice Award – Findhorn Designation for Environmental Design.
    • Department of the Environment & British Research Establishment Self-Build Industry - Best Environmental Project
    • Built It Magazine - Environmental House Of The Year Design Award.
    • National Lotteries Environmental Award. York Environmental Centre.
    • Union of International Architects & American Institute of Architects. Sustainable Community Solutions Award.
    • Design Spectus Detail Design Competition - First Place.
    • Solid Fuel Design Competition - First Place.
    • Royal Institute of British Architects, Manchester Society of Architects - Scholarship Award.
    • Bolton Hope & Gass Memorial Trust - Scholarship Award.
    • Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland – John Maclaren Fellowship Award.
    • Wiggins Teape International Design Competition to Save our Rural Heritage Winner.
    • Winston Churchill Study Fellowship Award.
    • The Reuse of Derelict Urban Areas Design Competition - Special Commendation.
    • Shell UK. Conservation Design Competition - First Place.
    • Architectural Press Book Prize - First Place.
    • Amersham Field Study Centre Design Competition - First Place.
    • Yorkshire Press, Best Environmental Business Of The Year Award – Finalist.
    • Energy 21 European Solar Design Award - Highly Commended Community Project Category for York Eco Centre.
    • Yorkshire Forward, European Regional Development and Single Regeneration Budget Funding Award - Heeley Farm.
    • Energy 21 European Solar Design Award - Winner of Private House Category.
    • Energy 21 European Solar Design Award - Winner of Community Project Category.
    • Shumacher Society Annual Award - Nominee Finalist for 2004.
    • Royal Horticultural Society New Library & Education Centre Design Competition - First Place.
    • Essex Wildlife Trust Abberton Interpretation Visitor Centre Design Competition - First Place.
    • North Yorkshire Building Control Design & Construction Award – Langton Highly Commended.
    • National Tourist Board Best Newcomer Award - First Place for the Locton Green Beacon YHA.
    • Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Pro Yorkshire Award - Second Place for the Locton Green Beacon Youth Hostel.
    • The International Green Apple Award for The Environment Architecture & Heritage.
    • Yorkshire LABC Built in Quality Award: Winner Best Sustainable Building, Gibson Mill.
    • Museum & Heritage Design Excellence Award 2006: Use of Renewable Technology – Independent.
    • Queens Award Sustainable Development. The Queen on the Prime Minster’s Recommendation.
    • National Wood Awards: Winner Best Use of British Native Timber at Chithurst Buddhist Monastery.
    • Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors/Building Magazine ''Best UK Sustainable Building'' Winner.
    • Royal Institute of British Architects White Rose Award for Sustainability Winner 2006.
    • Yorkshire & Humber Microgeneration Awards. Best Public Building 'Highly Recommended'.
    • UK Sustainable Building of the Year 2006 - Winner Building Magazine, BRE ECSC RICS Wrap etc.
    • The International Green Apple Award for Sustainable Tourism Project – Locton: House Of Commons.
    • RICS Pro Yorkshire Environmental Design Award 2007: Gibson Mill Highly Commended.
    • Essex Wildlife Trust Gunners Park Heritage Centre Design Competition 2008 - First Place.
    • Essex Wildlife Trust Belfairs Park Resource Centre Design Competition 2008 - First Place.
    • Yorkshire Post Property Awards for Sustainability - First Place Worfolk Cottage.
    • Rural Yorkshire Awards/Dales Magazine - Finalist Worfolk Cottage.