We designed (and built, with a little help from our friends) a passive solar timber frame house at the 1986 Milton Keynes Energy World Exhibition. Since then, work with community self build groups has given opportunities to resolve the tricky conflict between low build costs and energy efficiency.

Most of the self-build projects resulted in reasonably well-insulated conventional dwellings. The Holgate Park young people's self build scheme in York (with York Housing Association) was a welcome step towards more radical solutions, with higher standards of insulation and a two-storey sunspace to each dwelling.

Further work with York HA resulted in studies for an inner-city sustainable housing scheme (Moss Street) which was overtaken by site ownership issues.

The relationship with York HA did however lead to proposals for an 18-unit sustainable housing scheme on land adjacent to an urban nature park. Following lengthy site acquisition problems the scheme started on site in 2003, with a six-month contract period.

We were invited to submit masterplan proposals for a site on the edge of New Earswick for a sustainable development incorporating housing, community facilities and open space.

The development linked the existing village to improved open space, giving a well-defined edge to development and creating new opportunities for outdoor activities. We worked in partnership with Camlin Lonsdale landscape architects and RWS Partnership, cost consultants.

At Moss Street Depot in York, we produced sketch proposals for an urban site, to combine a small sustainable housing scheme (for York Housing Association) with a proposed community garden and to link in with neighbouring open space. Events overtook it - but it was a well-liked scheme!