Natural Building Services
We take a fabric-first approach to sustainability and building performance. Fabric-first means making sure the fabric of the building (the walls, floor, roof and windows) are all performing as well as they can before investing in 'green tech'. To be clear, we're all in favour of technology like air source heat pumps, but there's often little point investing in technology if the thermal envelope of the building isn't performing optimally.
To this end, we have several services that are individually outlined below. Whilst they're separated out for clarity, in reality a project may require several of these services. Perhaps one of our greatest strengths is that we're not wedded to one material, method or technology, allowing us to take a holistic view of your project and develop a solution that's as unique as your needs.
Architectural Services
We are able to offer a range of architectural services including building design, planning applications, design and access statements, listed building consent applications, heritage statements and building control applications. We also offer a building condition review to establish your building's current condition and highlight any areas that can be upgraded to improve the well being, thermal performance and user comfort of the building.
Garden Rooms & Outdoor Spaces
We design and build bespoke garden offices, studios and outdoor leisure spaces tailored to your needs. Our architectural technology expertise allows us to maximize Permitted Development rights or submit planning applications as required. As a certified Passive House tradesperson, we construct buildings to exceptionally high standards, ensuring energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability. We particularly enjoy creating outdoor spaces that foster connection with family, friends, and nature.
Natural Materials
Builders
Many natural building materials like hemp, wood, cork and lime work perfectly with old, solid walled buildings. Likewise natural materials also work together to produce buildings with low embodied and operation energy and excellent thermal performance and user comfort. Nolan Natural Building has the professional experience and knowledge to safely specify natural materials and the practical knowledge to build with these materials. We're not wedded to one material or approach meaning the right material can be used for a project, rather than the one we're familiar with.
Retrofit Insulation
Our retrofit insulation services focus on internal wall insulation using sustainable materials like woodfibre, cork, and Hempcrete. We work closely with other trades to ensure seamless integration with electrical and plumbing services.
Over-insulating or using non-vapour permeable materials in solid masonry walled buildings can lead to interstitial condensation forming in the walls of a building. This condensation can have a detrimental effect on both the thermal performance of the building and the long term structural integrity of the building. Our technical knowledge enables us to specify the most suitable material for your project in the correct quantity and applied in the correct manner to maximize energy efficiency whilst minimizing moisture buildup risks.
Passive House Tradesperson
Company director James is a certified Passive House Tradesperson. This certification means he has met the high standard of workmanship and knowledge set by the Passive House Institute in Germany. NNB have great working relationships with other certified tradespeople so if you need skilled builders who understand thermal bridging, insulation and airtightness then NNB can help.