THREE Scottish projects are in contention for major accolades at the Exemplar Sustainable Buildings Awards 2025.
The awards highlight how the construction industry is innovating to address operational and embodied carbon, and improving occupant health and wellbeing.
Entrants must demonstrate that the buildings perform as designed, as evidenced by monitoring data. From modest self-builds to large-scale social housing retrofits and university buildings, the shortlisted projects demonstrate that healthy and low-carbon buildings can be delivered in the UK.
Abhainn in Hamilton has been shortlisted in the Small Projects category. This is a development of three detached dwellings certified to the Passivhaus Classic standard. Efforts were made to reduce the embodied carbon of building materials, resulting in the project meeting RIBA 2030 metrics. The homes also comply with the exacting Gold higher level of sustainability in Section 7 of the Scottish Technical Standards. The aims for cost-effective construction was achieved, with the homes delivered for a below-market average cost.
The Seed near Dundee is also nominated in this category. Replacing a derelict building, the development is a co-living home for two households in a woodland garden. Reducing embodied and in use energy and carbon was a primary driver of the design and construction of the building. The home is almost entirely timber and meets both Passivhaus Classic standard and RIBA 2030 embodied carbon requirements.
In the Retrofit category, Niddrie Road is a deep retrofit of a Glasgow social housing pre-1919 sandstone tenement. The project was modelled in PHPP and designed, but not certified, to the EnerPHit standard with high levels of insulation and airtightness combined with new heating and ventilation systems. Ssuccess has been demonstrated through building performance monitoring, which is showing drastically reduced energy bills for the tenants, with up to 90% savings, while optimising occupant health and comfort.
Developed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sustainable Development Foundation (SDF), the awards are delivered in partnership between the Passivhaus Trust (PHT), Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP), and SDF.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on Tuesday 24 June. Attendees can vote for their winning entry: www.esba.uk/#awards-ceremony
