University of the West of England

Breaking boundaries with Purdown View: the largest Passivhaus scheme in the UK

University of the West of England Bristol (UWE) are beyond proud of our latest accommodation build: Purdown View.  This 900-bed development is the largest Passivhaus scheme in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe. 

UWE have pushed the boundaries of Passivhaus building throughout the industry, from working with designers and contractors to develop how to achieve the standard at this scale, to working with the Passivhaus Trust to create fair means to establish the methodology for the student accommodation profile. 

Aware this is a groundbreaking project, UWE have continually run events to share the learning (good and bad) throughout the process, hosting site visits for students, colleagues in the FHE sector, and wider businesses interested in Passivhaus construction, as well as the supply chain. The learning continues through the UWE Living Lab as students, researchers and UWE Estates work together to monitor and measure the performance of the buildings and the student living experience.

What the Judges Thought

The judges were deeply inspired and commend UWE for delivering a standout project. As millions of pounds are invested across the HE sector in Estate Plans and new construction, this case study sets a powerful example for Executives and Directors of Estates and Finance. It proves that dedication, strategic effort, and early-stage investment can yield substantial long-term savings while achieving exceptional results in carbon reduction and energy efficiency.

Congratulations on the leadership shown and please do share your ongoing learning with the sector.

What it Means to Win

“We are delighted to win this award as recognition of the ambition and effort required to achieve Passivhaus standards for the Purdown View student accommodation. This is another step in our route to decarbonisation of UWE, and our approach to ensure we truly are a Living Lab!”

Professor Sir Steve West CBE, DL, Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer

Top 3 Learnings

1. Having a clear aim - the air tightness test kept a focus on quality throughout.
2. Earlier discussions with the Contractor on some of the design elements to achieve Passivhaus airtightness requirements.
3. Going large with a big ambition will attract opportunities not thought about at the start!