Paul Testa

Energy Expert

Paul has been at the forefront of low energy and sustainable design since setting up his practice in 2010. Paul has led his practice, HEM Architects, to develop a reputation for exceptional and sustainable design and for an ability to gain planning on tricky sites where others have failed.

Paul is a big advocate for the Passivhaus standard and design methodology. This has allowed the team to develop buildings that do what they're designed to. They achieved planning for one of the first paragraph 55 (now para 80) homes in the UK which was also the first Passivhaus in South Yorkshire. More recently, they have developed a number of deep retrofit projects advising clients on low energy, high comfort solutions for their homes.

HEM Architects have set out to distinguish themselves in the domestic architecture market with their sustainable design and planning expertise, but also with their emphasis on consistent high quality service. They take the responsibility to advise and lead their clients through the process very seriously. Educating clients and the wider public is core to the HEM ethos.

Paul has been contributing to Home Building and Renovating for a number of years on topics around sustainable construction and retrofit. This has included a build diary of his family's Enerphit retrofit of a 1970 semi-detached home in Sheffield.