John Carrigan is a senior executive at the property developer Fraser Millar Estates. Rising fuel bills for his own home in Belfast kickstarted John’s journey to discover a different approach to building homes.

“I’m not what you would call ‘Mr Climate Activist’ but I’m doing a bit more, each day and each year. At Fraser Millar, we decided to make a big change.

“I noticed that my own fuel bills were rising depending on the fluctuating price of oil or gas. I was lucky I could afford it, but what about those who couldn’t? I researched and found that the best way to control fuel bills is to build low-energy housing, the gold standard of which is Passivhaus.”

Homes in the UK are a significant source of energy demand and greenhouse gas. The Passivahaus standard reduces both. And that means very low heating bills, more stable indoor temperatures, and improved indoor air quality for people who live in Passivhaus standard homes.

“I took the idea to the company owners who were immediately convinced and agreed to adopt Passivhaus standards for a new development. We’re going to build 219 low-energy, near zero-carbon homes for families in Belfast. It’s the largest development of its kind in the UK and Ireland.”