
CIBSE Project of the Year Award 2025 for Agar Grove 1b Project Update
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineering has Awarded Agar Grove 1b its Project of the Year 2025.
In a competitive field, the judges praised Agar Grove 1b for its exemplary application of design best practice on a large scale. They highlighted the focus on building performance and commitment to the local community. The project, part of the UK’s largest Passivhaus housing scheme, includes 34 council and 23 private homes.
Our design partners Max Fordham adopted a passive-first M&E design, achieving 70% energy efficiency. Resident surveys showed high satisfaction, and the design considered overheating risks, passive ventilation and noise mitigation for optimal comfort.
The judges said it was important to recognise Agar Grove 1b as a trailblazer for large, complex housing projects. ‘It’s precisely in these more challenging, larger-scale environments where our industry’s most meaningful progress can be made,’ they said.