On 10 December 2025, SPASE’s Stefan Pitman presented at the Royal Agricultural University’s Installing Renewables in Historic Buildings CPD course, part of the RAU Old House to Eco-house series. Held at the Cultural Heritage Institute in Swindon, the event explored practical and sensitive approaches to integrating renewable technologies into traditional and historic buildings.

The programme examined heat pumps, solar technologies, biomass and infrared heating, alongside building science principles and the fabric-first approach. Stefan delivered a case study on Athelhampton House, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of retrofit within a Grade I listed setting.

The course brought together professionals from conservation, retrofit and building design, supporting best practice in sustainable upgrades for older properties.

For further courses, details can be found in the following link.

Organised by: Royal Agricultural University
Course overview: https://www.rau.ac.uk/for-business/cpd/oldhousetoecohouse

Making great country houses cost less to heat than a suburban semi

Ten years ago, Stefan Pitman set up SPASE Architects. Right from the start, he realised many of his clients were coming to him with one big problem: they might own beautiful old buildings, but they cost a fortune to run.

Country Life Podcast SPASE

‘We have really close connections with our clients,’ he tells James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast, ‘and we talked about what is it like to actually have the responsibility and the upkeep of these old buildings? And that’s when, certainly for a number of owners and clients, we very quickly realised that there is a vast cost to keeping these buildings in use, and comfortable, and many of them aren’t comfortable because of that. And because of that they fall into a state where they begin to get damp, and then you get some timber decay, and it all starts to snowball a little bit.’

Fixing those problems became one of the firm’s specialities, until one key project which made a huge impact: their work on Athelhampton, where they cut a annual energy bill that was well into six figures to between £0 and £500, saving over 100 tons of CO2 annually.

We’re delighted that Stefan was able to join James on the podcast to talk about that project which won them a string of architecture awards — as well as how the landscape of preserving and insulating old buildings has changed in the last five years, and how the same principles can be applied to almost any building, ‘from a two-bed terrace to Hampton Court’.

Listen to the Country Life podcast:

Audible – https://lnkd.in/eC7w3XYb

Apple Podcasts – https://lnkd.in/ewK3u6gp

Spotify – https://lnkd.in/eyGCiNKD

SPASE has secured planning approval for the sensitive refurbishment and extension of a Grade I listed Jacobean residence within the New Forest National Park.


The approved masterplan encompasses the restoration of the principal house with a new kitchen wing, together with the refurbishment and partial conversion of the outbuildings, new garaging, estate workshop, and landscaping underpinned by a renewable energy strategy. SPASE collaborated with Historic England to ensure the proposals met the client brief and to preserve the quality of the architecture.

This project reflects our specialist expertise in working with historic buildings at the highest level of heritage designation. Our approach ensures the long-term preservation of Newhouse while reimagining the estate for sustainable family use in the 21st century.

On Thursday 18th September, we proudly marked a major milestone in the SPASE journey, our 10th anniversary. To celebrate a decade of delivering innovative and sustainable design solutions, we brought together our valued clients, trusted contractors, and dedicated team for a special evening at The Sherborne in Dorset.


Hosting this occasion at The Sherborne carried particular significance for us. This landmark building is not only a place of history and beauty, but also one of SPASE’s proudest projects. Our work on Sherborne House was an opportunity to restore and adapt a listed building of cultural importance, combining respect for heritage with a forward-looking design approach. To return here a few years later and celebrate our own story of growth felt especially meaningful.
The evening was more than a celebration; it was a chance to reflect on the journey we have taken as a practice. Over the past 10 years, SPASE has expanded from a local consultancy to a trusted partner on projects across education, healthcare, commercial, and heritage sectors. Each project has been an opportunity to challenge convention, embrace sustainability, and deliver environments that improve the way people work, learn, and connect.


We are deeply grateful to the clients who have entrusted us with their visions, the contractors who have helped us bring them to life, and the talented SPASE team whose creativity and dedication remain at the heart of everything we do.
A special thank you goes to The Sherborne for their hospitality and support in hosting such a memorable evening. Their warm welcome helped to make our 10th anniversary celebration a success and a fitting reflection of the values we uphold, quality, integrity, and collaboration.


As we look ahead to the next decade, we remain committed to delivering sustainable, high-quality, and innovative design solutions. We are excited to continue working with our partners and clients to create spaces that leave a lasting positive impact.


Here’s to the next chapter of SPASE.

The Atrium monoprint at The Sherborne is 11metres high and shows the rocks at Kimmeridge Bay which were once the floor of a deep, tropical sea rich in pre-historic life. They were formed in the Jurassic period, 155 million years ago.

As part of his exhibition Turning the Tide, artist Gardiner presents a stunning 11-metre-high monoprint at The Sherborne in Sherborne, Dorset. Inspired by ancient mural traditions seen in museums and historical sites—from Etruscan ceramics to Greek temples—this work pays homage to how civilisations have used walls to tell their stories.

The vertical monoprint depicts Kimmeridge Bay’s rock formations, once the floor of a prehistoric sea. These Jurassic layers, formed 155 million years ago, act like pages of a book, each revealing a chapter of Earth’s geological history.

Reading from top to bottom, the print begins with LiDAR contour patterns etched in steel, followed by a topographic copperplate drawing of Kimmeridge Bay featuring Clavell Tower. In the centre is an ochre slab representing the strata, and at the base, a woodblock print of an Asteroceras ammonite—preserved in rock for over 150 million years.

Gardiner’s work transforms the wall into a window through time, rooted in place and history.

Planning Committee Success

SPASE Design has recently achieved planning success at committee for a new build eco-house replacing a mobile home in the countryside.

The existing mobile home was a converted former railway carriage with a certificate of lawfulness to use as a permanent residence. This offered an unusual opportunity outside of defined development boundaries for replacement with a new build home.

The proposal has been designed as an off-grid dwelling, sensitive to the site and with biodiversity and sustainability in mind. Our clients are passionate about the environment and this scheme will support their desire to live off the land.

The house is designed to appear as a converted barn appropriate to its agricultural setting, providing a significant enhancement from the former railway carriage whilst also offering sustainable and ecological benefits to the site overall.

Concerns were overcome regarding flood risk, sewage treatment and visual impact, and resulted in counsellors voting in favour of approval.

Athelhampton Zero: A Landmark in Sustainable Heritage Renovation

Our work to complete Athelhampton House as a carbon neutral Grade I Tudor manor house, saving 100 tonnes of carbon annually is the Winner of the Decarbonisation and Net Zero Category at the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards in London 2024.

Athelhampton Zero: A Landmark in Sustainable Heritage Renovation

Our work to complete Athelhampton House as a carbon neutral Grade I Tudor manor house, saving 100 tonnes of carbon annually is the Winner of the Decarbonisation and Net Zero Category at the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Awards in London 2024.

Project Overview:
Athelhampton Zero, a transformative project by SPASE Design, has redefined sustainability within a Grade I listed Tudor manor house. The initiative achieves carbon neutrality by replacing outdated fossil fuel systems with innovative technologies, including a 130kW photovoltaic array, 12 Tesla batteries, and multiple heat pump systems (4x GSHPs and 15x ASHPs).

Impact:
This ambitious modernisation not only meets modern energy needs but also significantly reduces carbon emissions by 100 tonnes annually, alongside saving £100,000 in energy costs each year.

Judging Panel Insights:
The judges were impressed by the project’s educational component, highlighting its role in sharing knowledge about sustainability in heritage contexts. Athelhampton Zero has been presented to notable organisations, including the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and Historic Royal Palaces, showcasing its commitment to public engagement and advocacy for sustainable practices.

Quotes from Judges:

Project Team:

Conclusion:
Athelhampton Zero stands as a pioneering example of how heritage sites can embrace sustainability, setting a benchmark for future projects aiming to balance historic preservation with modern energy efficiency.

See all the winners on the Architects’ Journal website.

Sarah joins SPASE Design to enhance as a chartered architect with over 20 years of experience specialising in sustainable, low energy design, to enhance the practice’s credentials and expertise in sustainable design.

Sarah Small RIBA ARB DipArch

Sarah joins SPASE Design to enhance as a chartered architect with over 20 years of experience specialising in sustainable, low energy design, to enhance the practice’s credentials and expertise in sustainable design.

Sarah has a wealth of technical experience at job running, coordinating design packages and providing site supervision on large scale developments in the education and residential sectors.

In 2015 Sarah embarked on self-building her own family home on the outskirts of Weymouth in Dorset to the Passivhaus standards.
The house is contemporary in style and constructed from a timber frame filled with recycled newspaper for insulation with a zinc roof. Sarah ran the build, managing local sub-contractors, ordering materials and proving detailed drawings.

Sarah says ‘The hardest part of the build was ensuring every single sheet of the airtight membrane was lapped and sealed internally forming a super airtight layer which eventually tested at 0.37ach air changes per hour.’

Since achieving Passivhaus certification with her own home, Sarah supports the national network for low carbon open homes, and Dorset Greener homes by hosting open days to show case self-building and low energy design.

Sarah also takes part in the international Passivhaus open days each year, opening her home to visitors interested in building to the Passivhaus standards.

For the last two years Sarah has been working as project architect on a refurbishment and retrofit school in Wimborne, upgrading a collection of Victorian school buildings into an SEN facility for 13-18 year old students.

Beaucroft College was one of the first projects in Dorset to be awarded government SALIX funding due to the installation of renewable energy including air source heat pump, photovoltaics and heat recovery system along with thermal upgrades to the existing fabric. The retrofit project has been calculated to reduce annual C02 emissions by 76%.

Sarah was thrilled to read in the news recently that the project has been selected as a finalist in the AJ 2024 awards in the retrofit and decarbonisation section.

As an architect Sarah prides herself on the value she brings to both client and site, through sustainable, high quality and efficient building designs.

Sarah says ‘I believe that buildings and places should be designed to encourage healthy lifestyles and help people to reduce their environmental footprint. I design with future generations in mind, aiming to support biodiversity and make the best use of resources. I am looking forward to working with the team at SPASE, where I can integrate my design skills and experience into more zero carbon projects.’

Our work to Sherborne House receives recognition in the Architects’ Journal

Sherborne House, a Grade I-listed building with Georgian, Tudor and Medieval elements, has been restored and extended with a glulam-structured pavilion and event space

The main structure is an early Georgian mansion attributed to local architect-craftsman Benjamin Bastard. It features a mural of hunting scenes up the principal staircase, completed in the late 1720s by Dorset-born artist James Thornhill.

The building, renamed The Sherborne, now has gallery spaces in both the historic rooms and new spaces, with a sculpture garden and external amphitheatre space for live performances at the back. It also accommodates a commercial offering of a bistro and restaurant, event spaces and a shop stocking local products, with profits supporting the arts programme.

Find the full article at the Architects’ Journal.

This article highlights a fascinating case of retrofitting a historic home

This article highlights a fascinating case of retrofitting a historic home, Athelhampton Manor, with renewable energy technologies. It illustrates how older properties can embrace low-carbon heating solutions, specifically through the installation of modern air-source heat pumps and solar arrays.

Key points include:

  1. Historic Context: Athelhampton, a Grade I listed Tudor manor, faced high heating costs and an inefficient heating system. The previous reliance on fossil fuels resulted in an annual bill of around £55,000 – more than £100,000 with current energy prices.
  2. Innovative Solutions: Owner Giles Keating partnered with Stefan Pitman to implement a comprehensive energy overhaul, utilising next-generation air-source heat pumps that offer high efficiency (up to 450%) and integrating solar power with storage batteries.
  3. Transformative Results: The retrofit drastically reduced energy costs to just £500 in 2023, enabling the manor to remain open year-round. The unobtrusive design of the renewable systems helps maintain the property’s historical aesthetic.
  4. Broader Impact: This project not only sets a precedent for other historic homes but also demonstrates the feasibility of integrating modern technologies into conservation efforts. Pitman’s firm is now working on similar projects across various historic sites.
  5. Planning and Collaboration: The article emphasizes the importance of engaging with local authorities early in the planning process to navigate potential regulatory hurdles, positioning these retrofits as examples for others to follow.

The full article can be read here at The Telegraph 

Overall, Athelhampton’s transformation showcases a promising approach to making historic buildings more sustainable without compromising their heritage.