Frances Forward BA(Hons) Dip Arch MSc (Const Law) RIBA FCIArb is the managing director of haus architects ltd. She is a Registered Architect and Certified Passivhaus Designer and has designed and project-managed a number of successful Passivhaus projects, achieving both Passsivhaus Classic and Passivhaus Plus certification.
Frances has given consultancy advice on the principles of Passivhaus design and has invaluable experience in a range of methodologies for achieving the required insulation and airtightness standards. She has particular expertise in the off-site production techniques which can be adopted to great advantage and has researched the most advanced technologies available in the European countries where the Passivhaus standard began. (Frances’ mother tongue is English and she is bilingual in German).
Frances holds an additional qualification in construction law and has acted as expert witness in legal cases where the required standards may not have been met in the design or on site. Frances is a panel-listed adjudicator and has reached decisions on a number of complex construction disputes; she is also on the RIBA president’s advisory committee on dispute resolution.
Construction is a highly complex activity, where things can and occasionally do go wrong - Frances’ diverse professional experience has led her to value ‘prevention over cure’ and she ensures that haus architects ltd’s philosophy is to ‘get it right first time’, both at design and construction stages. This requires dedication and a team effort, technical skills, legal skills and people skills.