Green Building Store to 21 Degrees: One year on
It’s now been a year since we made the transition from the Green Building Store name and embraced our new identity as 21 Degrees.
We know change can sometimes cause confusion. We’ve heard from a few people we worked with in the past – architects, builders and homeowners – who hadn't quite connected the dots and realised that the Green Building Store team and expertise they knew are still right here, just under the 21 Degrees banner.
This post is our way of explaining the journey, and reassuring you that the passion, knowledge, and commitment you relied on from Green Building Store and its people are still present. The change to 21 Degrees was to not only to reduce energy usage, but to promote that with that energy reduction, there are superior comfort and health benefits to be had.
Our roots: building on the ground-breaking legacy of Green Building Store
To understand where we're going as 21 Degrees, it helps to remember where we started. The story of Green Building Store began back in 1996. Our founder, Chris Herring, attended a Passivhaus conference and had a lightbulb moment. He saw the incredible potential of the Passivhaus standard to revolutionise how we build in the UK, moving away from leaky, inefficient structures towards buildings that genuinely nurture occupants and protect the planet.
Our early focus was ambitious: drastically reducing construction and operational waste and fundamentally improving building performance. We weren't just talking about energy bills; we were focused on creating spaces that felt better, were healthier to live and work in, and offered unparalleled comfort.
Green Building Store quickly became a trusted source for the essential building blocks for truly sustainable construction high-performance windows, doors, MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems, airtightness products and specialist insulation. In addition, it’s worth noting that since 2008 we have designed and supplied over 2000 MVHR systems! This can be attributed to our bespoke designs and unique sound modelling.
The evolution to 21 Degrees: a refined vision and expanded capabilities
So, why the change to 21 Degrees? It wasn't just a cosmetic makeover. It stood for a significant evolution, driven by a refined vision and purpose. While the Green Building Store name served us incredibly well, we wanted an identity that encapsulated our integrated approach. Our focus sharpened towards creating "havens of health and comfort, achieved through optimised energy performance."
Where does the name '21 Degrees' come from? It’s often cited as an optimal indoor temperature for human health and wellbeing. It reflects our ethos of striving for that ideal measure across every facet of building performance, from energy use and air quality to thermal comfort and environmental impact. This isn’t a suggestion that we should all heat our homes to 21°, some might find that uncomfortable, it is more a statement that you can do so efficiently, without a huge energy requirement.
A pivotal step in this evolution was the merger with our sister company, Green Building Renewables. This was a strategic consolidation of resources and ability. Previously, you might have dealt with Green Building Store for high-performance building fabric components and Green Building Renewables for solar panels or heat pumps. Now, all these services, products, and operations are unified under the single 21 Degrees name. Ultimately you can now build a home that is healthy comfortable and meets the total of its energy demands with renewables.
This merger, combined with strategic acquisitions of other leading renewable energy providers, has significantly expanded our capabilities. It allows us to offer a much more streamlined, powerful, and integrated approach. We now have a truly unified vision to provide comprehensive, end-to-end services for creating exceptional, low-energy buildings. From initial design consultancy and component specification (windows, MVHR) right through to the installation of renewable energy systems (like solar PV and heat pumps), we can guide and support projects seamlessly.
What remains the same: our core values and unwavering expertise
Now, let's address the crucial question, the one we've heard directly from some of you: Are the people and the knowledge still the same? Especially concerning the specialist teams you might have relied on?
We hear you. You might be wondering specifically about the windows and MVHR teams you worked closely with under the Green Building Store name. We're delighted to reassure you that these teams stay largely unchanged in personnel and, crucially, in their dedicated approach. The deep technical knowledge, the commitment to finding the right solution for each unique project, the meticulous diligence – that's all still here, embedded within 21 Degrees.
Our commitment to facilitate the delivery of high-performance homes delivering high-quality, high-performance windows, doors, inaudible ventilation systems, and insulation stays absolute. These are the critical components that form the backbone of an energy-efficient building envelope, and our ability in specifying and supplying them is stronger than ever.
Furthermore, our "full-circle approach" continues. We still believe in empowering you to create better-performing buildings from every angle: lowering carbon emissions, reducing running costs, and maximising occupant comfort and health. We haven't stopped being pioneers of the sustainable energy revolution; we've just broadened our scope and integrated our services.
And fundamentally, our core values endure. We built Green Building Store on principles of Expertise, Approachability, Innovation, Quality, Knowledge, Sustainability, and Integrity. These values are still the bedrock of 21 Degrees. We aim to be your knowledgeable partners, easy to work with, always looking for better solutions, demanding the highest quality, sharing our learning, championing sustainability, and acting with complete integrity.
Looking ahead with 21 Degrees: empowering change
Our vision at 21 Degrees is captured in our strapline: "Change the way you think about energy”. We want to shift the perception of energy from a simple commodity to a lifestyle choice, where eco-friendly living meets ultimate comfort and wellness. To introduce whole-home solutions that promote the health and vitality of all that live there.
Reconnect with 21 Degrees
If you worked with Green Building Store in the past, we’d love to reconnect. Exploring options for improving your building's energy performance and incorporating renewables, we're here to help.
Come and explore our website at 21degrees.com. You'll find detailed information on our expanded range of products and services, insightful case studies and valuable resources.
Want to discuss a specific project or just catch up? Give us a call on 0808 281 5021 or contact 21 Degrees here.
Thank you for your trust and support over the years as Green Building Store. We're incredibly excited about the journey ahead as 21 Degrees, combining the legacy and expertise you knew with enhanced capabilities and a unified vision for a truly sustainable built environment.
We look forward to working with you again soon.
