Lower-energy buildings designed for comfort, performance and long-term value
Energy and sustainability decisions affect how a building feels, performs and costs to operate.
Celona Consulting provides energy and sustainability design support for new buildings, extensions, refurbishments and historic properties. We consider building fabric, energy demand, occupant comfort and renewable technologies as connected parts of the wider architectural design.
Our aim is to develop practical measures that respond to the building, the client’s objectives and the available budget.
Considering performance from the outset
The greatest opportunities to improve building performance often arise during the early stages of design.
We consider the orientation, form, glazing, insulation, airtightness, daylight and ventilation strategy before reviewing the most appropriate building services and renewable technologies. This helps reduce energy demand and avoids relying on equipment to compensate for weaknesses in the building design.
Our services can include:
- Energy and sustainability strategies
- Building-fabric and insulation improvements
- Daylight, solar gain and overheating considerations
- Low-energy heating, cooling and ventilation strategies
- Solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage
- Retrofit and decarbonisation proposals
- Coordination of SAP, SBEM, EPC and BREEAM assessments
- Technical details and specification support
Improving existing buildings
Existing buildings present different challenges from new construction. Their condition, materials, orientation and existing services can limit the available options.
We assess the building as a whole before recommending improvements. Measures may include insulation, window upgrades, draught reduction, more efficient services and renewable energy systems.
For traditional and historic buildings, interventions must also be compatible with the existing construction. We consider moisture movement, ventilation and the significance of the building when developing energy improvements.
Balancing energy, comfort and practicality
Energy performance should not be considered in isolation.
A highly insulated building must also provide suitable ventilation and manage the risk of overheating. Renewable technologies need to be coordinated with roof layouts, plant space, electrical capacity and the way the building will be occupied.
We help bring these requirements together so that the proposed measures are practical to install, operate and maintain.
Coordinated specialist assessments
Some projects require formal energy calculations, certification or environmental assessments.
Where these services require a qualified or accredited assessor, we can coordinate their input with the architectural and technical design. This helps ensure that recommendations are incorporated into the drawings and specifications rather than treated as a separate exercise.
Why choose Celona?
We combine architectural design, technical detailing and practical construction knowledge.
This allows us to consider how energy and sustainability measures affect the appearance, construction, coordination and long-term use of the building.
Plan for better building performance
Whether you are designing a new building, improving an existing property or developing a wider energy strategy, we can help you identify practical and proportionate solutions.