Latest news with #ECDArchitects
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Post-war homes set for a facelift as south Essex councillors agree on plans
THURROCK council's planning committee has voted unanimously to update prefabricated homes built following the Second World War. The council will insulate and provide new windows for 20 Airey houses in Ridgewell Avenue, Orsett. Mears Group Ltd, ECD Architects, Michael Dyson & Associates and Keegans Group have been appointed to 'retrofit the council owned properties made with non-traditional construction methods'. Airey houses were designed for swift construction following the Second World War. A total of 26,000 Airey houses were built between 1945 and 1955 by Sir Edwin Airey who was a Leeds based builder. The precast homes were covered with shiplap concrete panels but many are now blighted by deterioration of the concrete and erosion of embedded steel supports. The work will include adding external wall insulation, loft insulation and replacing external windows or doors. The works aims to 'improve the energy efficient performance of the homes and as a result reduce the energy bills'. At a planning meeting last week, Steve Taylor, a co-opted member of the committee from the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Said: 'Many of those houses were refurbished, repaired, restored in exactly the same way about 20 to 25 years ago and many of them were semi-detached. 'Half because it was privately owned was done and the local authority part wasn't so if anything it will actually bring some regularity back to the area.' Residents will not have to move out for the work, which is part of an almost £4 million grant funded project to upgrade 206 council owned properties. A report to planning officers by architects said: 'The whole house, fabric first retrofit of the Airey council owned properties is progressive step towards the decarbonisation of the council owned housing stock contributing towards the governments overall net zero target. 'These measures not only contribute to a wider goal of decarbonisation but at an individual level also make a large positive impact by significantly reducing the predicted heat demand and thus lowering bills for residents within these homes.'
Scotsman
09-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
New Hires and Leadership Promotion at ECD Architects
Glasgow-based ECD Architects has announced a senior leadership promotion, while the firm also hires two new senior designers and as it continues to meet growing demand for energy efficient, Passivhaus certified buildings in the housing, education and public sectors. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Alistair Cameron has been promoted to Joint Managing Director, with specific responsibility for Scotland, while Donald Simpson and Ron Nkomba have joined the practice as Associate Directors. Alistair Cameron steps up from Director, marking another successful milestone in his career with ECD Architects. He joined the practice in 2009 and has been instrumental in the delivery of major projects including the £12million BREEAM Excellent, new build Stevenson HIVE facility for the University of Glasgow, the refurbishment and reconfiguration of the historic Royal College, and the development of building decarbonisation plans for the University of Strathclyde, University of Dundee and the University of Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In his new role, Alistair will work alongside Joint Managing Director James Traynor, who has responsibility for the practice's delivery in England. Certified Passivhaus designer, Donald Simpson, has been appointed by ECD Architects Commenting on his promotion, Alistair, said: 'It's a particularly exciting and significant time for the development of energy efficient and environmentally conscious buildings, both here in Scotland and across the UK. We're involved in the Passivhaus Trusts' industry-wide initiative to promote the review of the Scottish equivalent for the Passivhaus standard, and there's growing interest in how the Standard's principles can reduce energy costs and emissions, while also improving wellbeing for building users. Our Joint Managing Director structure enhances our capabilities to effectively meet this growing intrigue and demand.' Certified Passivhaus Designer, Donald Simpson, has over 20 years of experience, including several award-winning and complex University developments and refurbishments, as well as the leadership of largescale University campus masterplans. He joins a team of 16 Certified Passivhaus Designers at ECD, which is pioneering the UK adoption of the Passivhaus Standard and principles to optimise building energy performance and support sustainability goals. Ron Nkomba also has extensive education experience, including the delivery of three RIBA award winning schools, as well as experience in the residential and workplace sectors. In his new role, he'll draw on his 20 years of experience to support the London team overseeing and managing a variety of their new build and retrofit projects, working with public and private sector clients across the sectors. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad James Traynor, added: 'Factors such as the Government's school rebuilding programme, education sector goals to improve energy efficiency, reduce building and estate running costs, transition to net zero, and enhance the comfort of learning environments, are all creating curiosity about Passivhaus. This is also driving appetite among other public-sector organisations, and we're developing our team to stay ahead of demand. Senior hire Ron Nkomba has been hired by ECD Architects 'Highly experienced, knowledgeable architects like Donald and Ron bring a wealth of insights that fit perfectly with our team, and we're looking forward to further advancing the development of Passivhaus Certified buildings throughout the UK.' Passivhaus is a technical standard that provides a design and construction process to ensure quality and deliver low energy buildings which can be externally certified. It adopts a whole-building approach based on clear, measured targets for a building's energy performance, airtightness and thermal comfort.
The Irish Sun
23-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
New £5.6million outdoor adventure centre set for summer opening – it offers watersports and cycling routes
A BRAND new outdoor adventure centre is set to open this summer, offering everything from watersports to cycling tours. Construction on the £5.6 million build has finished, with the facility expected to open in a matter of weeks. 2 A new outdoor adventure park offering a variety of water activities is set to open this summer (stock image) Credit: Getty Located just a 24 minute drive from Glasgow city centre, the Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre is sure to be a fun way to spend the day with your children in the nice weather. And while no official date has been announced for the grand opening, The outdoor adventure centre is expected to open sometime in the late summer, with a variety of activities on offer. These include watersports such as canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, as well as heavy focus on cycling tours. Read More On Travel The new facility includes storage for kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and equipment, a wetsuit drying area, and a bike workshop. There will also be a large meeting room, smaller seminar rooms, a reception area, accessible toilets, showers, lockers and changing areas, a food prep area, and outdoor seating to enjoy the summer weather. On-site car and cycle parking will also be available. ECD Architects, who worked on the project, said the centre "represents a vibrant, inclusive hub for community activities, enhancing connections to nature and promoting outdoor recreation in a sustainable, accessible way". Most read in News Travel The project is located on land owned by the local council and cost just over £5.6 million, with more than half of the revenue externally funded. Funding was provided from Scottish Government, sportscotland, and the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. UK shopping centre with a little-known Nickelodeon attraction Lillian McDowall, Business Development Manager of SCAPE Scotland, who worked with the council on the project spoke about the neew centre. 'Our goal is to actively support the public sector in the delivery of projects that truly enrich and support local communities," she said. "We're proud to have been part of this project, which will bring value to the community and lasting benefits to residents for years to come." As well as providing outdoor activities, the centre will also focus on educational, training, and volunteer opportunities. This is expected to help to promote regeneration and address disadvantage in the area. Free summer holiday activites You don't need to spend a penny to keep your kids entertained this summer... Museums - Some museums offer free entry to some exhibits, and also host events for kids. Parks - Head to your local park to enjoy the playgrounds, games areas, courts and splash pads. Some even have trails for kids to enjoy. Beach - It doesn't have to be sunny to enjoy the beach, you can go rock pooling, crabbing, make sandcastles, or enjoy a walk along the headland. Library - If the weather is awful, head indoors and borrow books, audiobooks, dvds. Cooking - Have your own mini bake-off, or Come Dine With Me challenge. Playdates - Invite friends over for an afternoon of socialising. Boardgames - Enjoy a little sibling rivalry with rounds of Monopoly or stretch your brain with Scrabble. Admission prices have not yet been announced to the public. And a A huge Plus, one of England's most 2 Work on the Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre has been complete (image renders) Credit: ECDA
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
New £5.6million outdoor adventure centre set for summer opening – it offers watersports and cycling routes
A BRAND new outdoor adventure centre is set to open this summer, offering everything from watersports to cycling tours. Construction on the £5.6 million build has finished, with the facility expected to open in a matter of weeks. 2 Located just a 24 minute drive from Glasgow city centre, the Twechar Outdoor Pursuits Centre is sure to be a fun way to spend the day with your children in the nice weather. And while no official date has been announced for the grand opening, East Dunbartonshire Council has confirmed work on the centre is now complete. The outdoor adventure centre is expected to open sometime in the late summer, with a variety of activities on offer. These include watersports such as canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding, as well as heavy focus on cycling tours. The new facility includes storage for kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and equipment, a wetsuit drying area, and a bike workshop. There will also be a large meeting room, smaller seminar rooms, a reception area, accessible toilets, showers, lockers and changing areas, a food prep area, and outdoor seating to enjoy the summer weather. On-site car and cycle parking will also be available. ECD Architects, who worked on the project, said the centre "represents a vibrant, inclusive hub for community activities, enhancing connections to nature and promoting outdoor recreation in a sustainable, accessible way". The project is located on land owned by the local council and cost just over £5.6 million, with more than half of the revenue externally funded. Funding was provided from Scottish Government, sportscotland, and the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund. UK shopping centre with a little-known Nickelodeon attraction Lillian McDowall, Business Development Manager of SCAPE Scotland, who worked with the council on the project spoke about the neew centre. 'Our goal is to actively support the public sector in the delivery of projects that truly enrich and support local communities," she said. "We're proud to have been part of this project, which will bring value to the community and lasting benefits to residents for years to come." As well as providing outdoor activities, the centre will also focus on educational, training, and volunteer opportunities. This is expected to help to promote regeneration and address disadvantage in the area. Free summer holiday activites You don't need to spend a penny to keep your kids entertained this summer... Museums - Some museums offer free entry to some exhibits, and also host events for kids. Parks - Head to your local park to enjoy the playgrounds, games areas, courts and splash pads. Some even have trails for kids to enjoy. Beach - It doesn't have to be sunny to enjoy the beach, you can go rock pooling, crabbing, make sandcastles, or enjoy a walk along the headland. Library - If the weather is awful, head indoors and borrow books, audiobooks, dvds. Cooking - Have your own mini bake-off, or Come Dine With Me challenge. Playdates - Invite friends over for an afternoon of socialising. Boardgames - Enjoy a little sibling rivalry with rounds of Monopoly or stretch your brain with Scrabble. Admission prices have not yet been announced to the public. And a popular English campsite has recently opened a new kid's playground and glamping area. A huge London park with one of UK's best playgrounds recently welcomed the first herd of deer in years. Plus, one of England's most popular children's playgrounds is about to get MUCH better. 2
