Print this page
Naked house launches low cost passive for charity & community groups
Bardon Mill village hall in Northumberland, a recent low carbon Naked house project.

Naked house launches low cost passive for charity & community groups

Naked house, the pre-fabricated passive house construction company, is launching a new ultra-low cost construction option aimed at charitable and community based organisations.

This article was originally published in issue 19 of Passive House Plus magazine. Want immediate access to all back issues and exclusive extra content? Click here to subscribe for as little as €10, or click here to receive the next issue free of charge

Speaking about the new scheme, Naked house director Ben Nickell said: “We are looking to deliver a limited number of projects at particularly low costs for worthwhile causes. For example, these could be projects run by charities or community interest companies, or they could simply be one-off projects to benefit the local community.”

“In general the project’s aim should be to benefit a particular community rather than to achieve private profit. Projects which are successful in the selection process will be partly funded by Naked house and will be delivered at a cost well below the going market rates. We are actively seeking appropriate projects to start as soon as possible.”

Passive house construction is particularly beneficial to organisations which have limited resources, Nickell said, as the building’s ongoing running and maintenance costs will be very low. He explained that Naked house is looking to keep the construction costs low by utilising its ability to optimise a building’s design. The correct selection of size, shape, layout, materials, finishes and services can all make a huge difference to the end cost.

Meanwhile, keeping the mechanical services and technical construction design in-house keeps the professional fees to a minimum without reducing the choice of available systems. The speed of project turnaround and construction on site is also a huge advantage to organisations with limited manpower to provide for project management.

“The Naked house approach is to look at each project from first principles.” Nickell adds. “We are always looking for innovative solutions which reduce complexity and cost. Traditional procurement methods often lead to a high cost of construction for one-off projects. There are few specialist contractors around and the design and commissioning of passive house services is something which is outside the experience of many traditional mechanical and electrical design companies. Using our in-house expertise and practical experience helps to eliminate these costs and we are not tied to any one supplier of components, meaning we can always choose the best solution for each specific building.”

“We want to encourage the take-up of the passive house standard by organisations which most need the benefits provided by building to the standard. The organisations that can least afford to construct appropriate buildings are those that most need to keep their ongoing running and maintenance costs down. We’re excited to find the first projects for which we can offer this ultra-low cost solution.”

Naked house is currently inviting applications for projects to be considered for selection. If you have an appropriate project, please send details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for consideration.

(c) 2023 Templemedia Ltd.