DESIGN APPROACH

As Passivhaus Certified Chartered Architects we concentrate on producing new homes individual to the needs of our Clients, befitting the Scottish rural environment.

We are advocates of a fabric-first approach: we believe that new homes, refurbished structures dwellings or re-imaged dwellings, can all achieve carbon-net zero and Passivhaus & EnerPhit standards. All our work aims to be carbon neutral, incorporating local natural materials with low embodied energy, healthy building constructions and environmentally focussed specifications.

All of our projects seek to minimise the amount of operational carbon used (energy) and to provide what is needed from the use of renewable energy systems. We have direct experience of heat-recovery ventilation systems, heat recovery heat-pumps, solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, ground & air sourced heat-pumps along with wood fuel & pellet systems.

We have been working with Graphisoft design, modelling, and computer aided drawing ArchiCAD software for over 20 years. Our CAD software is the most sophisticated available and enables us as Architects to capitalise on our built environment experience and combine digital technology & traditional survey information to produce 3D building models. These models enable us to develop our designs and explore our new creations directly with our Clients and using the latest energy simulation software to explore the best way to optimise the design before transferring this information into the Passivhaus PHPP calculation tools to determine the exact energy balance of your project.

"We believe that by supporting Clients through their early-stage decision making process we can add real value to their projects. Whether this is a decision to buy the site, or to extend & re-image an existing building or indeed to build a new home - getting the right advice at the outset of a project can help each Client to achieve a more sustainable design, to save money and reduce cost.”
Greig Munro - Chartered Architect, Coast 2 Coast2Coast Architects Architects.

On behalf our Clients, we are usually appointed as the lead consultant to an interdisciplinary Design Team including Structural Engineers, Energy Advisors, Passivhaus Certifiers and Cost Managers. In this way we are able to take total responsibility for all pre-construction design and planning work ready for the selection & appointment of a Building Contractor. We then take great time and care to work closely with your chosen Principal Contractor to ensure that your project is undertaken on time and to the desired quality & agreed budget. In this way we are able to ensure the quality of our work from the initial Client meeting through to Project Completion & Handover.

Greig & Kathleen Munro - Coast2Coast Architects

OUR EXPERTISE

Coast2Coast Architects is the trading name of AffordableTM Ltd, formed in 2003 by Greig & Kathleen Munro with the objective of providing design & project management consultancy support to private individuals & community groups.

In 2019 Greig Munro was awarded RIAS Sustainable Design Accreditation based on a portfolio of assessed work spanning over 15 years. During 2020 Greig as gained the Passivhaus Certified Designer qualification and then went on to represent the Highlands & Islands Chapter of Architects on the national RIAS Sustainability Working Group to develop the RIAS response and positioning paper in advance of the CoP26.

We know that by choosing Coast2Coast Architects our Clients benefit from working with talented individuals, each with over 25 years of experience of design & construction. Our attention to detail and to the specific needs of our Clients has resulted in a strong business referral Client base and numerous Design Awards.