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Insights & Guides

Practical knowledge.
No jargon.

Honest guides to energy-efficient construction, EnerPHit retrofit and Passive House-informed building — from 20 years of hands-on European experience.

Featured
EnerPHit
15 May 2026 · ~11 min read

EnerPHit Retrofit in the UK: The Complete Guide for Homeowners (2026)

A practical, jargon-free walkthrough of EnerPHit deep retrofit for UK homeowners — costs (£1,800–2,600/m²), the seven-stage process, energy savings of 85–90%, planning permission, and what separates good contractors from the rest.

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Sustainability
2 June 2026 · ~9 min read · New

Timber Frame vs Masonry: The Full Lifecycle View

Is timber frame really the greener choice? A sourced whole-life carbon view of UK timber frame vs solid masonry — end-of-life routing, transport, chemistry and the lifespan dispute the brochures leave out.
Building Science
16 May 2026 · ~12 min read · Featured

The Thermos Syndrome: Why New UK Homes Turn Into Ovens in Summer (And How to Fix It)

UK new builds are well insulated for winter and unliveable in summer. The three causes — lightweight construction, big glazing, weak ventilation — and how Part O, CIBSE TM59 and proper design fix it.
PHPP
15 May 2026 · ~10 min read

PHPP Modelling for UK Architects: When to Use It, What It Costs, and How to Read the Output

The Passive House Planning Package explained for UK architects — how it differs from SAP, typical costs, when you need it on a project, and how to interpret the output.
Compliance
15 May 2026 · ~11 min read

PAS 2035 Explained (2026): What UK Homeowners and Architects Actually Need to Know

The UK's retrofit framework explained in plain English. When PAS 2035 applies, the five specialist roles, common mistakes, and how it sits next to EnerPHit and Building Regulations.
Founder story
15 May 2026 · ~10 min read · By Paweł Okurowski

From Mazury to Ledbury (via Mallorca): Why I Started APMBuild

A personal story — from the Mazurian Lakes and Polish Army engineer reconnaissance, through German building sites and eight years on Mallorca, to building my first UK house in Ledbury in 2013 and founding APMBuild Ltd in 2024.
More articles in the pipeline

We're publishing further pieces on European materials supply, EPC uplift strategies and UK retrofit case studies. Want a topic covered? Tell us.

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