The Case Study Practices

We picked the 15 practices to talk with – all with a track record of sustainable design – for their variety. They range from one-and-a-half architects to several hundred, spread around the country, urban and rural, with green clients and clients who are indifferent to sustainability, clients from public and private sectors, some practices more focused on energy while others major on community, taking formal and informal approaches to organising and sharing knowledge and learning within the practice, bemoaning contractors or getting very hands-on on with projects, and all in different ways green in their practice housekeeping.

There are 14 architect practices and one environmental engineer, Atelier Ten, for an outside view of the world of architects – the 14 haven't much good to say about engineers, apart from a small coterie, which includes Atelier Ten.

 
Acanthus Holden Architects - Nine staff, in Pembroke. Community architecture and conservation, which informs materials choice. 20+ years of sustainability.
 
Architype - 29 staff in Cinderford, Gloucestershire (12) and London (17). Clients mostly look for sustainability. Genesis building study AJ 8.6.6. Healthy buildings. Natural technologies.

Associated Architects - 48 staff in Birmingham. Mostly commercial. Now greened mainly through BS 14001 implementation and forming a Green Team – part of all projects.

Atelier Ten - 56 staff in London (44) and New York (12). Engineer that brings green strategy to many architecture projects. And a US perspective. Advocates UK Green Building Council.

Atkins - 35 staff in Leeds, part of Atkins Global 15,000 staff. Much local public sector work. Partnering. Specialists push practice forward. Systems more informal than formal. BS 14001.

BBM Sustainable Design – six staff in Lewes, West Sussex. Developing a regional architecture. Very hands-on in sourcing materials and on site. Natural materials.

ECD - 15 staff in London. Very focused on sustainability, and on energy within that. Architecture and consultancy, inc ECD Project Services. Own green building refurb.

Feilden Clegg Bradley - 120 staff in Bath (80) and London (40). More mainstream clients in future? Design Matrix great for setting priorities. Clever intranet – anyone can upload. Bikes.

Jestico + Whiles - 95 staff in London (80) and Prague (15). Very committed to community and regeneration. BS 14001. Learning as a key practice activity. Employee Benefit Trust.
 
John Gilbert Architects - six staff in Glasgow. Community architecture background. RIAS accredited. Regional design with climate. Recycled components. Carbon footprints. Pilates.

Jon Broome Architects - 1.5 staff in Lewisham, SE London. Live/work in self build house. Promotes self-build. Very hands-on in sourcing and on site. Design for flexibility/longevity.

Mansel Architects – two staff in Belper, Derbyshire. Community architect in small working town, committed to regeneration. Simple, healthy buildings. Local materials sourcing.

MAST Architects - 14 staff in Glasgow. Background in tenement rehab – social focus. RIAS accredited. Local sourcing means jobs as well as embodied energy. Scottish timber industry.

PRP - 350 staff in Surrey (150), London (140), Milton Keynes (30) Manchester (20). Core is social housing. BS 14001 planned. PRP Environmental Services. New researchers. Bikes.

White Design - 14 staff in Bristol. Mainly public sector. Sustainability a 'mission for us'. 'Builder of the Month' award. Pioneering use of materials; very hands-on. Practice allotment.