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House Planning Help Podcast

Ben Adam-Smith

If you're building a home in the UK, this aims to arm you with the knowledge you need. It features regular interviews with green building experts and self-builders (who have been there and d...

Episodes

20 of 406 episodes

HPH403: From landlord to high-performance developer – with David Bradley-Bowles

David Bradley-Bowles, Director and Consultant at Pure Spring Meadows, explains his shift from landlord and renovator of Victorian properties...

46:47Oct 1, 2026

HPH402: What would make a local developer deliver to Passivhaus standard?

Developer Giles Lamb and architect Zara Bloomfield explain why they have started delivering certified Passivhaus homes, what extra challenge...

48:54Sep 17, 2026

HPH401: Let's build something

Ben Adam-Smith explains why he plans to take on a new mission, and why that'll mean a slight change of direction and more collaboration. Che...

27:14Jun 30, 2026

HPH400: Three couples build a terrace of three Passivhaus homes

Bill Butcher and Chris Herring, founders of 21 Degrees, share details of their own group build, a small terrace of three homes in Marsden, W...

53:41May 30, 2026

HPH399: The Good Building Book – with Jon Broome and Nick Grant

Jon Broome and Nick Grant explain why they have written The Good Building Book, what's in it, who it will help and how best to put it all in...

01:02:02May 13, 2026

HPH398: What does it take to create a bio-based Passivhaus? – with Janna and Seb Laan Lomas

Janna and Seb Laan Lomas explain the ethos behind their self build which blends low energy design and natural building while reducing plasti...

01:11:20Mar 28, 2026

HPH397: Sheep's wool insulation and other natural fibre options – with Mark Lynn

Mark Lynn from Eden Renewable Innovations explains how sheep's wool insulation is made, outlines the pros and cons, and suggests how it is b...

51:11Feb 23, 2026

HPH396: Getting planning permission for a replacement dwelling – with Mark Doodes

Mark Doodes from Mark Doodes Planning explains what we mean by applying for planning permission to demolish and rebuild a house, how it is d...

48:21Feb 9, 2026

HPH395: How easy is it to insure a natural building? – with Dr. James Glockling

Dr. James Glockling explains how insurance works and outlines some of the challenges of insuring a natural building. Check out the show note...

41:26Jan 26, 2026

HPH394: Could you automate air sealing on a house build? – with Hugh Franklin

Hugh Franklin from Aeroseal UK explains how the airtightness of a building can be improved using a water-based, low VOC atomised polymer whi...

45:03Jan 8, 2026

HPH393: How can you reduce the embodied carbon of a project? – with Elly Deacon Smith and Kirk Rushby

Elly Deacon Smith and Kirk Rushby from Arbor Architects explain why they consider the embodied carbon of their projects, how they do it and...

38:37Dec 17, 2025

HPH392: What's the difference between good and bad retrofit? – with Marion Baeli

Marion Baeli, author of "Residential Retrofit," offers hands-on experience of designing and retrofitting high performance homes. As well as...

53:44Dec 3, 2025

HPH391: Earth floors – with Jeffrey Hart

Jeffrey Hart from the Earthen Floor Company gives us the lowdown on natural earth floors, explaining what the components are, how they are m...

44:32Nov 19, 2025

HPH390: Practical considerations when looking for a plot of land – with Ben Adam-Smith

Ben Adam-Smith shares a few thoughts about what to look for in a plot of land for a low energy house build. Check out the show notes for mor...

40:29Nov 5, 2025

HPH389: Air-to-air mini split heat pumps – with Es Tresidder

Es Tresidder from Highland Passive explains what an air-to-air mini split heat pump is, why he believes it's a good choice for heating a hig...

51:59Oct 22, 2025

HPH388: How are building regulations made? – with John Palmer

Having spent the last few years working within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, John Palmer explains how building...

43:20Oct 8, 2025

HPH387: How do you make a Victorian terrace home more comfortable? – with Will South

Will South from Etude takes us step-by-step through the retrofit of his Victorian terrace house in Brighton, which has improved the health,...

47:57Sep 24, 2025

HPH386: The potential of mycelium-based composites – with Joshua English

Joshua English, co-founder of Okom wrks labs shares his journey into the creation of a mycelium-based composite material, which has structur...

46:57Sep 10, 2025

HPH385: A stunning contemporary home on a sloping site – with Kirsty Maguire

Architect Kirsty Maguire shares her experience of designing and building her own Passivhaus on a challenging sloping site in Newport-on-Tay,...

36:07Aug 26, 2025

HPH384: De-risking a Passivhaus project – with Sally Godber

Sally Godber, a Director at WARM consultancy explains why reducing the risks on her own Passivhaus project was so important, what that entai...

57:20Aug 13, 2025