Case Study | 30 Jun 2025

Bebington Passive House – A New Standard for Sustainable Living in Leeds

At 21 Degrees (formerly GBS), we're driven by helping our clients achieve their energy-efficiency goals and create homes that are not only sustainable but also comfortable and beautiful. We're thrilled to share the story of the Bebington Passive House, a remarkable new build project in Leeds that exemplifies these values.

Modern two-story house with brick and white facade, large windows, and a double garage door. A small plant is by the entrance.

From Demolition to Dream Home: The Bebington Passive House Journey

The project, located in Leeds, involved the demolition of an existing 1980s house, which had undergone multiple extensions, to make way for a brand-new, four-bedroom Passive House. The client, Bill Haygarth, purchased the property with the clear intention of replacing the old structure with a home built to the rigorous Passive House Plus standard. This commitment to energy efficiency was a primary objective from the outset.

Key Considerations and Solutions

The design and planning process for the Bebington Passive House focused on key considerations, such as ensuring the new build would not exceed the ridge height and building lines of adjacent properties. For the construction method, a timber frame system by Build-a-kit was chosen.

21 Degrees played a crucial role in providing the high-performance building components necessary to achieve the Passive House Plus certification. We supplied and installed all external windows, doors, and sliding patio doors. Our GBS98-A Aluminium Clad windows and doors were selected, featuring tilt and turn inward opening windows, entrance doors, and a stunning 7-meter-wide lift and slide door set with solar control glazing.

The exterior finish was RAL 7016, with a natural effect clear stain internally. The architect specified our products, and the client had prior positive experience with our offerings, having visited our Golcar Showroom and previously considered our solutions for a different passive house project.

Modern house entrance with a dark wooden door, a small window, and a potted plant. The exterior is white with a sleek, minimalist design.

Our Installation Service

As this was a new build timber frame building all items were ordered from drawings and discussions with Roger Stannard the project architect at LEDA. This allows the windows to be manufactured at the same time as the timber frame. Which ensures that delivery and installation of the windows can swiftly follow on from the erection of the timber frame. Resulting in a weather and airtight building in a short period of time.

A key part of our new build installation service is a pre-install site visit. Our surveyor visits sites to check everything is ready for our team. We met with the Inspired Builds site team to check openings were correct and access was good for our team. Some scaffolding was altered to make things easier around the large sliding door opening and a plan put in place for getting the items from drop off point into the building and to first floor.

The most common issue for window installation is access in and around the building and scaffolding levels or poles blocking openings, so by carrying out these visits we can ensure that everything is ready for our team to hit the ground running on day 1.

Our in-house team covered every aspect of the install, unloading the pallets, carrying items through site and into the building, installation, airtightness taping internally, weatherproof taping externally, and fitting of aluminium cills. The large lift and slide door was supplied in kit form, then built and glazed on site by our experienced team.

Results and Client Satisfaction

The Bebington Passive House project achieved excellent results in terms of energy efficiency and overall performance. A key indicator of its success is the impressive airtightness test result of 0.45 ACH @ 50pa. This outstanding performance meant the project successfully met the demanding Passive House Plus criteria.

Bill Haygarth, the client, was highly satisfied with the outcome and our products and service. He shared, "We chose windows and doors from GBS because they looked good and met the passive house specification. Installation by the GBS team was timely and efficient as was the aftercare when two of the units needed replacing". We are proud to have supported the client even after the installation, promptly replacing two glass units under warranty, ensuring complete satisfaction.

Bright, empty room with white walls, beige carpet, large window with a view of trees, and hanging pendant lights.

Reflections and Future Inspiration

The Bebington Passive House stands as a testament to what can be achieved when homeowners commit to sustainable building practices and partner with experienced suppliers.

A Special Thanks to Inspired Builds

An additional thank you goes to Inspired Builds for taking some excellent pictures of this project.

The Inspired Builds team is made up of experienced staff and high-quality tradesmen, who come together to create a combined experience of over 100 years within the construction industry.