Designed by BMJ Architects, the Rocking Horse Nursery at the University of Aberdeen has received Passivhaus accreditation, making it also the first nursery in the UK to be accredited.

The practice attended an event yesterday, hosted by the university, as part of Aberdeen’s May Festival, where co-founder of Passivhaus, Professor Wolfgang Feist, addressed faculty, students and members of the public on how buildings can be part of a sustainable future for us all.

Sonia Scott, director at BMJ, said: “Sustainability is always an important element of any design but Passivhaus takes it to another level, during design, construction and for the long term life of the building. This project highlights our innovative sustainable design ethos which is practiced across our 4 studios.”

The term Passivhaus refers to a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in buildings and was developed in Germany in the early 1990s by Professors Bo Adamson of Sweden and Wolfgang Feist of Germany. The Passivhaus standard can be applied not only to residential dwellings but also to commercial, industrial and public buildings.

Calum Proctor, project manager at the University of Aberdeen, said: “The Passivhaus design provides a high level of comfort for users, while consuming very little energy for heating or cooling. This project highlights Aberdeen University’s commitment to providing sustainable and environmentally-friendly new infrastructure.”

The project add to BMJ’s credentials in sustainable design, with projects such as the BMS Annex, for the University of St Andrews the first BREEAM Outstanding building in Scotland and the first BREEAM Outstanding Laboratory Building in the UK.