BBM Sustainable Design

BBM Sustainable Design is an award winning architecture practice with an international reputation for creating inspirational low energy buildings and neighbourhoods.

BBM was launched after its two founding directors, Ian McKay and Duncan Baker-Brown, won the Royal Institute of British Architect’s ‘House of the Future’ competition in 1993 – a building that helped shape the course of environment conscious design. Innovation, superlative design and sustainability have remained at the heart of everything BBM has achieved since, be it in architecture, master planning, urban regeneration, low energy design consultancy or interior design.

Since its success with RIBA’s ‘House of the Future’, BBM has continued to win commendations and awards across different sectors, impressing judges by the way in which it combines old and new technologies and materials to create beautiful and crucially affordable buildings. These include numerous regional and national awards with the RIBA, LABC, Civic Trust, Blueprint and AJ Retrofit.

The practice is interested in the relationship between materials and place, with a view to bringing integrity and a sense of belonging to their work. As such the studio is renowned for its careful and intelligent interventions  in sensitive urban and rural contexts around the South Downs National Park and areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the Sussex High Weald.

BBM is perhaps best known for its work in energy intelligent design, ‘cradle to cradle’ and low environmental impact material specifications and making beautiful contemporary buildings that effortlessly support more sustainable lifestyles for their occupants.

BBM also teach what we practice and have maintained strong links with schools of architecture where we disseminate knowledge and direct research into the latest thinking around sustainability in the built environment.

BBM engage in projects of diverse typologies and scales. These range from urban and rural village masterplanning to visitor centres, village halls, university and schools, light industrial and commercial, housing and private residential.

We offer a full range of architectural design and contract administration services with the quality assurance imbued in the Royal Institute of British Architect’s Plan of Work including:

• RIBA accredited architectural design

• Contract administration

• Landscape and urban design

• Interior and exhibition design

• Low energy design consultancy

• Teaching, lecturing and research

• Stakeholder consultation

• Principle designer duties

BBM have extensive experience of working within tight budgetary parameters and tackle cost responsibility with the same degree of realism, imagination and rigour as we approach design excellence.

We have specialist knowledge in the field of environment conscious design gleaned from many years of designing buildings, seeing projects being constructed and, importantly, interrogating their performance in use with the occupiers. A summary of our specialist low energy design consultancy services is as follows:

• Feasibility stage scoping of project sustainability strategy

• Super energy efficient construction design

• Passive solar design

• On-site renewable energy advice

• Low environmental impact material specification

• Cradle to cradle design advice

• Advice on Passivhaus design

Our practice has always maintained links with university research and teaching and to this end BBM offer a range of educationally linked skillsets for both school and university level education including:

• Architectural and sustainability research projects

• Partnering in ‘live’ project delivery

• Architectural design workshops for schools

• Teaching in architectural design and professional practice