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Planning for Higher Education Journal

Planning for ‘Passivhaus’

The University of Cambridge, King’s College Addresses Student Well-Being with Energy-Efficient Graduate Housing
Journal Cover
From Volume 53 Number 3 | April–June 2025
By Laurie Hallows, MSc, and Matthew Traub, MArch
Planning Types: Campus Planning

Institutions referenced in this resource:
University of Cambridge

King’s College, Cambridge required new postgraduate housing to support its growth plans. The design team collaborated closely with college stakeholders, including the prospective residents, to research all aspects of the proposals—brief, spaces, structure, and services—early in the process. That research provided a comparison of environmental methods that ranged from a regulatory baseline to a certified Passivhaus approach. The holistic “fabric-first” standard delivers highly efficient, low-energy buildings with high-quality construction and occupant comfort. The metrics fed into a cost-benefit analysis of capital cost vis-a-vis energy reduction to determine the long-term value of each approach.

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