Leicester cathedral to get passive extension

This article was originally published in issue 22 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

The project, dubbed Leicester Cathedral Revealed, is currently at the early design process (RIBA stage 2/3) with £3.3m Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) secured and vHH putting a consultant’s team together.

Aiming for passive house certification, the design proposes a reinforced concrete frame, generally with lightweight timber roof construction where the new structure abuts the cathedral.

A key challenge of the 450 square metre scheme will be the passive house detailing in the basement, due to the proximity of cathedral walls in conjunction with the requirements of an archeological watching brief.