Consultants

Pennine Sustainability provides environmental sustainability consultancy and design advice both detailed and strategic to designers and developers throughout the UK. We believe the challenges posed by climate change should ultimately lead to quality design, comfortable, low impact environments both on the architectural and urban scales. Pennine Sustainability provide the following services; Code for Sustainable Homes – Design Stage Assessment & Post Construction Review, BREEAM & CSH Strategies Sustainability, SAP & Renewable Energy, Consultancy Daylight & Sunlight Studies, Overheating Analysis, Ventilation Strategy & Analysis, Urban Design Research, Part L (dwellings & non dwellings), Architectural Design Competitions & collaborations.

The practice

Pennine Sustainability is an architectural practice and sustainability consultancy based in Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire.

We are a young emerging practice, but we draw on an impressive body of work undertaken over the past decade within the public, educational and housing sectors. We are passionate about working with people to create places that improve their lives and make a positive contribution to their environment, whether on a domestic or an urban scale.

Our core principles of sustainability, accessibility and collaboration are underpinned by specialist knowledge and research, adding value to each of our projects.

Pennine Sustainability is a RIBA chartered practice and undertakes projects of all sizes and at all stages from feasibility and consultation through to post construction advice. We also collaborate with other professionals to provide an extended service.

About

Pennine Sustainability is run by Sam Brougham and Catherine Skelcher, who met whilst studying together at Cambridge University in 1998. Between them they have worked for a number of awarding winning practices including Witherford Watson Mann Architects, PRP Architects, Eric Parry Architects and Cottrell and Vermeulen Architecture.

We believe that a shift is required in how we design, procure, build, inhabit and dispose of our built environment. We reject narrow interpretations of sustainability and are committed to making beautiful and effective architecture that is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. We draw on a range of skills to provide a ‘joined up' approach to architecture and sustainability.

We enjoy collaborating with others and in addition to the services we provide ‘in house' we have links with cost consultants, engineers, ecologists, energy specialists, and researchers from a range of fields, allowing us to provide input from the outset, ensuring an integrated approach.

Designing sustainable, resilient architecture should be intuitive. However the requirements imposed by climate change legislation are ever changing and increasingly complex. Often regarded as little more than an expensive inconvenience, the often conflicting layers of local and national regulations has spawned a reactive and sometimes illogical culture of design. Pennine Sustainability can provide specialist input both detailed and strategic to help developers and designers navigate these challenges creatively and economically.

Sam Brougham

Sam Brougham is the founding partner of the practice, which he established in 2010. With a background in architecture, Sam now specialises in sustainable design. His strategic input at project inception, his legislative and technical knowledge, and his experience of working with a range of clients and procurement processes proves invaluable to the success of each project. Sam is a SAP Assessor, a Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor and recently completed a Permaculture Design Course at the Permaculture Association.

Catherine Skelcher

Catherine Skelcher joined the practice last year. She specialises in public projects and participatory processes, and her ability to build effective working relationships with complex multi-stakeholder groups has been key to the delivery of a number of award winning projects. Catherine has been a Cabe Enabler, a Civic Trust Assessor and is currently Deputy Director of Year 2 at The University of Sheffield School of Architecture.