We’re creating a sustainable, resilient built environment for future generations. Our aim is simple – to embrace regenerative design principles and create meaningful, lasting change. Our contribution to a world where people and nature can thrive together.
Sustainability
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For people and planet
Our ambitious response to the climate and biodiversity emergency matches the urgency of the crisis we face. The built environment accounts for over a third of global carbon emissions. It’s our collective responsibility to design places which not only minimise carbon, but create a positive social and environmental impact.
Evidence-based sustainable design is embedded into every HLM project. Not a bolt-on, a core part of our thoughtful design process. And we offer our specialist sustainability expertise as an independent consultancy service.
Across every sector, specialism, HLM studio, and within our industry we’re guiding and supporting our clients, colleagues and peers to make informed choices: that positively impact our climate, support the health and wellbeing of our communities, and regenerate and protect the biodiversity of our natural systems.
Sustainability lead
I’m proud to be part of a generation of architects and designers who are redefining what good design means and what it should accomplish. Sustainable design is simply design – it’s already part of our everyday practice. We’re now moving forward to researching, upskilling, and incorporating regenerative principles into our projects – this is an exciting time.
Juliana Renn
Our expertise
HLM is a signatory of Architects Declare, and we’re on track to achieve the UK Government target to achieve net zero carbon buildings by 2050. From 2025 everything we design meets RIBA’s Sustainable Outcomes and aligns with the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard.
As a practice we’re committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 (here’s our Carbon Reduction Plan), and in 2025 we’re signing up for Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) verification.
Our architectural, landscape and interior design services place sustainability as a core design driver, with a focus on regenerative design and biogenic materials. We integrate sustainability, social value, digital innovation, and DfMA expertise throughout the design process.
Our sustainable design approach focuses on key themes that cover environmental, social and economic sustainability. We’ve developed strategies and design principles for each of these themes aligned to the RIBA Plan of Work, and we employ a suite of tools to measure and test each theme as our design progresses.
Our specialist sustainability team offers independent consultancy services to public and private sector clients, developers, occupants, project managers and design practices.
From RIBA Stage 0 through to post-occupancy, we support our clients to set, measure, and achieve meaningful sustainability targets. Our comprehensive services encompass:
- Strategic sustainability consultancy
- Building physics consultancy and Passivhaus design
- Health and wellbeing consultancy
- Materials and resources consultancy
- Sustainable masterplanning and landscape expertise
- Social value consultancy
- Certification and compliance support
Our team of certified Passivhaus designers has been growing steadily over the last few years, with all HLM studios now benefiting from the experience this team brings to projects in every sector. We also offer independent Passivhaus design consultancy.
The Passivhaus Standard is a well-proven quality, comfort and energy standard. It delivers high quality environments with excellent air quality, thermal comfort and acoustic performance.
This holistic approach brings multiple benefits to people and society, while reducing impact on the environment. Passivhaus buildings have recorded energy savings of up to 90%, making them great for the environment, and the occupants’ wellbeing and finances.
Our sustainable design approach
HLM is a signatory of Architects Declare, and we’re on track to achieve the UK Government target to achieve net zero carbon buildings by 2050. From 2025 everything we design meets RIBA’s Sustainable Outcomes and aligns with the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard.
As a practice we’re committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 (here’s our Carbon Reduction Plan), and in 2025 we’re signing up for Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) verification.
Our architectural, landscape and interior design services place sustainability as a core design driver, with a focus on regenerative design and biogenic materials. We integrate sustainability, social value, digital innovation, and DfMA expertise throughout the design process.
Our sustainable design approach focuses on key themes that cover environmental, social and economic sustainability. We’ve developed strategies and design principles for each of these themes aligned to the RIBA Plan of Work, and we employ a suite of tools to measure and test each theme as our design progresses.
Sustainability consultancy services
Our specialist sustainability team offers independent consultancy services to public and private sector clients, developers, occupants, project managers and design practices.
From RIBA Stage 0 through to post-occupancy, we support our clients to set, measure, and achieve meaningful sustainability targets. Our comprehensive services encompass:
- Strategic sustainability consultancy
- Building physics consultancy and Passivhaus design
- Health and wellbeing consultancy
- Materials and resources consultancy
- Sustainable masterplanning and landscape expertise
- Social value consultancy
- Certification and compliance support
Passivhaus design
Our team of certified Passivhaus designers has been growing steadily over the last few years, with all HLM studios now benefiting from the experience this team brings to projects in every sector. We also offer independent Passivhaus design consultancy.
The Passivhaus Standard is a well-proven quality, comfort and energy standard. It delivers high quality environments with excellent air quality, thermal comfort and acoustic performance.
This holistic approach brings multiple benefits to people and society, while reducing impact on the environment. Passivhaus buildings have recorded energy savings of up to 90%, making them great for the environment, and the occupants’ wellbeing and finances.
Resources
How we define regenerative design
Regenerative design goes beyond ‘sustainability’ as we know it, to protect and replenish the ecosystems we all rely on. We recognise that everything’s connected, so we don’t separate social value and sustainability. So to us regenerative design means designing for zero carbon, actively restoring and regenerating natural systems, enhancing biodiversity, and creating positive social impact.
We’ve moved beyond the idea of just ‘giving back’. Real impact doesn’t come from compensating for the harm we might cause, or the resources we take – it comes from ensuring that we take out as little as possible, and give far more back.
Our sustainability and social value specialists are collaborating with exemplary clients, our communities, and industry peers to make regenerative design our new normal.
Our climate emergency
The UN describes climate change as one of the most pervasive and threatening issues of our time, with far reaching impacts in the 21st century. In many places, temperature changes and sea level rise are already putting ecosystems under stress and affecting human wellbeing.
In the UK, the built environment contributes to over a third of the UK’s total carbon footprint, so our industry must adapt if we’re to make a significant impact. To achieve the UK government’s targets and create a better world, we all need to implement zero carbon in operation, zero embodied carbon, climate adaptations, and move towards regenerative design principles.
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Building the supply chains we need for a regenerative future
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Architect for school refurbishment: why smarter design is transforming existing school buildings
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Passivhaus schools UK: why are they proving the sceptics wrong
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What net zero school design actually demands of an architect
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HLM Architects joins the New European Bauhaus Community
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A step forward: the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard published
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Designing for a Sustainable Future: HLM Architects named finalist for Net Zero Architect of the Year
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HLM Architects Celebrates Five Nominations at the Building Design Architects of the Year Awards 2025
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HLM Architects Celebrates Four Shortlistings at the 2025 South Yorkshire Property Dinner
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Pathways to zero emission buildings – is net zero enough?
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Regenerative Twin study reveals 84% whole life carbon reductions
