Progress in Practice

Progress in Practice Sustainable architecture and design, with an emphasis on genuine client engagement and community

We are super excited to introduce you to the newest member of our team, everyone please meet Eunice!Eunice is an experie...
29/05/2026

We are super excited to introduce you to the newest member of our team, everyone please meet Eunice!

Eunice is an experienced Architectural Designer with a passion for community-focussed design. She has worked on the design and delivery of a wide range of new-build and retrofit projects, with a strong emphasis on marrying community engagement with building performance; creating high quality people-centred spaces.

Eunice applies these rigorous design and construction skills to a smaller scale by creating wearable garments in her spare time: knit, sew, crochet, in an effort to be more conscious about consumer habits and textile waste. Eunice also enjoys discovering new places to eat and is always open to new recommendations.

In January this year we had the pleasure of welcoming Andy Burnham to our lovely client's in Trafford. Andy came to ...
18/05/2026

In January this year we had the pleasure of welcoming Andy Burnham to our lovely client's in Trafford. Andy came to see the project as it is an exemplar of low energy retrofit and is in the process of being certified as Trafford's first home!

His comments on the scheme were that...

💚 "All retrofits should be done to this standard"💚

We totally agree. Why shouldn't everyone have access to a warm, comfortable home that is affordable to heat! This feels like an ambition fit for the 21st Century.

If you would like to hear more of Andy's thoughts on the project, watch him on Channel 4's "Guy Martin's House Without Bills", still available on demand.



Greater Manchester Combined Authority


Join People Powered Retrofit and Progress in Practice's Hannah Dixon as we learn more about the importance of retrofit a...
15/05/2026

Join People Powered Retrofit and Progress in Practice's Hannah Dixon as we learn more about the importance of retrofit assessments.

This webinar forms part of the Feel the Benefit Home Assessment Services Hub (https://gmca.snugg.com), supporting households to better access assessment options for improving building performance, comfort, and energy efficiency.

Hannah is a chartered Architect and Certified Passivhaus Designer, specialising in sustainable, low carbon construction and community engagement. This session will explore the principles of Passivhaus design and approaches to retrofit, with a focus on improving the performance of existing buildings.

Hannah will share insights from her work in practice, including examples of retrofit projects and key considerations when delivering low carbon, energy-efficient buildings.


Greater Manchester Combined Authority

The sun is shining and we have just learned that Progress in Practice has been shortlisted for *three* Unlock Net Zero A...
01/05/2026

The sun is shining and we have just learned that Progress in Practice has been shortlisted for *three* Unlock Net Zero Awards! What a lovely way to start a Friday and a Bank Holiday Weekend! 😁

We're absolutely chuffed to be finalists in the following categories:
- New Build Development of the Year - Copper Beech Plus
- Retrofit Project of the Year - Park Haus
- Organisation of the Year - Progress in Practice

The shortlist is full of amazing organisations and projects, so we are thrilled to have been included with such good company.

That includes our friend Sara from .architects2026 who has been shortlisted on the Climate Champion Power List - amazing news!

And our regular collaborators who are also up for organisation of the year - congrats!

Good luck to everyone shortlisted!

zero

This week marks the end of an era at Progress in Practice, as we say goodbye to Stephen Fisher on his last day with the ...
29/04/2026

This week marks the end of an era at Progress in Practice, as we say goodbye to Stephen Fisher on his last day with the practice.

Stephen is moving on to an exciting new role, taking on fresh and very different challenges while continuing his deep commitment to low-energy design.

Stephen was the very first person to join Hannah, before Progress in Practice was even fully formed, and his contribution to shaping the practice has been invaluable. We will always be grateful for the energy and dedication he has brought to the team.

💚 This photo captures Stephen’s delight watching the timber frame for his first project coming together 💚

We’re excited to see where Stephen’s next chapter takes him and will be cheering him on with pride as he continues to grow and thrive.

Thank you so much to everyone who has applied for the position of Architect at Progress in Practice so far.We will be re...
17/03/2026

Thank you so much to everyone who has applied for the position of Architect at Progress in Practice so far.

We will be reviewing applications at the end of the week, so for anyone who is interested and hasn't yet applied, now is the time to get in touch!

For more info visit - www.progressinpractice.co.uk/news/job-architect

In the meantime, enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine.


Feel the Benefit - Home Assessment Services Hub launched!Yesterday, Andy Burnham launched the ‘Feel the Benefit’ Retrofi...
04/03/2026

Feel the Benefit - Home Assessment Services Hub launched!

Yesterday, Andy Burnham launched the ‘Feel the Benefit’ Retrofit Portal at the .

If you are looking to make your home warmer and more energy efficient, this is the place to look. It is a one-stop-shop for tailored practical advice, with a range of options that can be fit to you and your situation.

The services include the GM Retrofit Consortium's new retrofit assessment service hub, which aims to provide options for independent, personalised advice for a wide range of different homes, budgets and people.

Here you can get advice on your home's existing condition and potential upgrades, allowing your to make improvements to your comfort and bills, no matter what the budget or priority.

Spread the word and if you’re a Greater Manchester resident interested in progressing your retrofit project, visit the hub now: https://gmca.snugg.com/

The GM Retrofit Consortium is Snugg, People Powered Retrofit, Manchester Care and Repair, B4Box and Progress in Practice Ltd.



Greater Manchester Combined Authority

We can’t believe it’s been three weeks since Guy Martin’s House Without Bills aired. We were delighted to see Park Haus ...
02/03/2026

We can’t believe it’s been three weeks since Guy Martin’s House Without Bills aired. We were delighted to see Park Haus — our client’s retrofit — featured, and for so many valuable lessons from their journey to be shared.

The programme focused on eliminating energy bills, and for some homeowners that is indeed the goal. Achieving this requires a robust methodology, such as the standard.
For others, the aim is different: a more comfortable home that’s easier to heat, with a clear pathway towards a low-carbon heating system in the future.

Whichever goal you’re working towards, the foundation is the same — quality construction and meticulous attention to detail. This ensures your insulation performs as intended and helps you avoid unintended risks.

For anyone planning to improve their home’s energy performance, we recommend the following steps:
1. Find an independent Retrofit Designer*
Choose someone you trust and feel comfortable working with. (Retrofit Designers may be architects or retrofit specialists — try looking for someone who talks to you about your space heating demand and not your EPC rating. Most importantly, they should be independent, with no products to sell.)

2. Retrofit Assessment
The scope will depend on the scale of works you’re considering and your available budget. For whole-house retrofits this should include a comprehensive condition survey.

3. Consider energy modelling
PHPP modelling can be a powerful design tool when deciding where and how to invest your budget most effectively. We recommend it where it will genuinely support informed decision-making. If you’re aiming for , , or the CarbonLite standards, PHPP modelling is essential to quantify energy savings for certification.

4. Retrofit Strategy or Plan
This should set out a clear route to your end goal. It might be a high-level phased plan with a step-by-step approach, or a more detailed roadmap if you’re ready to progress the full project. Either way, it should demonstrate how the elements of your retrofit work together and guide you towards the right first steps.

Build
Photos
Passivhaus Trust

Thank you so much RIBA Journal for sharing the story of Park Haus 💚 - soon to be featured on Channel 4 4 's 'Guy Martin'...
06/02/2026

Thank you so much RIBA Journal for sharing the story of Park Haus 💚 - soon to be featured on Channel 4 4 's 'Guy Martin's House Without Bills'

https://www.ribaj.com/buildings/practice-in-progress-house-without-bills-passivhaus-retrofit-manchester/

It is so great to have deep and construction form part of the mainstream dialogue on retrofit. It is a challenge which should focus, not only on decarbonisation, but creating really high quality homes.

Here Hannah has written about some of the challenges in transforming our housing stock into comfortable, energy-efficient and accessible homes.




Photography by Alex Dormon Photography

We are delighted to share that Park Haus, our client's project, is going to feature on the telly with none other tha...
30/01/2026

We are delighted to share that Park Haus, our client's project, is going to feature on the telly with none other than Guy Martin!

The new channel 4 show, airing on 9th Feb, documents the journey of this build from it's humble beginnings as a 1930s semi-detached home, through its transition into a super low energy home.

Read more with...
💚 Our latest blog - https://www.progressinpractice.co.uk/news/park-haus-featured-on-channel-4-with-guy-martin

💚 The Passivhaus Trust's Case Study - https://passivhaustrust.org.uk/news/detail/?nId=1507

💚 Park Haus page of our website - https://www.progressinpractice.co.uk/parkhaus

We're really grateful to the programme makers for choosing to shine the spotlight on 'Retrofit', a subject not considered by many to be a terribly glamorous (we don't understand why either). The programme takes subjects that can be quite technical and challenging to get your head around and gives it an easily digestible and engaging narrative.

Tune in at 9pm on 9th February 2026 on Channel 4

Myzsa Group

Passivhaus Trust

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