Deptford Landings Passivhaus Residential Scheme

11 December 2025 by Elise Phoenix

Delivering acoustic excellence in sustainable residential design

Spectrum Acoustic Consultants are supporting Higgins Partnerships with the delivery of one of the largest Passivhaus residential schemes in the UK – a £75 million development forming part of the wider Deptford Landings regeneration in London.

Developed for Peabody, the project demonstrates how sustainability, design excellence, and technical collaboration can combine to deliver high-quality, low-carbon housing.

Working alongside Higgins Partnerships, Peabody, the project architect, M&E consultants, and Passivhaus specialists, Spectrum’s team has been responsible for ensuring that all acoustic design elements align with Peabody’s design and performance standards and the conditions of the Passivhaus Institute.

The role demands close coordination between acoustics, ventilation, and thermal design to balance airtightness, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort.

The challenge

Designing to Passivhaus standards introduces a distinct set of acoustic challenges. The ultra-low air permeability required to achieve Passivhaus performance enhances thermal efficiency but significantly changes the acoustic behaviour of the building envelope.

In a development of this scale (located within the dense urban environment of Deptford in south-east London) achieving the required levels of sound insulation, ventilation noise control, and environmental noise mitigation demanded meticulous coordination between disciplines.

The airtight fabric means that some traditional infiltration paths for sound are eliminated, but this also means that all ventilation must be provided mechanically.

The MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems essential to Passivhaus design can become a primary source of background noise if not carefully engineered. Fan units, ductwork, and terminal devices each introduce potential noise paths that can easily exceed the 25-30 dB(A) internal noise targets typically adopted for living spaces in Passivhaus dwellings.

Additionally, the project’s location adjacent to active transport routes and other urban noise sources required Spectrum to assess and control environmental noise ingress to habitable rooms in line with BS 8233:2014 and ProPG: Planning & Noise criteria for internal acoustic comfort.

At the same time, sound transmission between apartments and shared spaces needed to be tightly managed to maintain privacy and comply with Approved Document E of the Building Regulations.
The challenge lay not only in meeting these multiple acoustic standards individually, but in integrating them into a cohesive design strategy that supported Peabody’s sustainability objectives and Higgins Partnerships’ construction programme.

Our role

Spectrum Acoustic Consultants provided comprehensive design advice and performance verification throughout the project lifecycle, including:

• Sound insulation design to control noise transfer between dwellings and communal areas.
• Environmental noise ingress control, ensuring desirable internal noise levels are maintained in all habitable rooms.
• Plant noise control, minimising the acoustic impact of building services on nearby receptors.
• MVHR and ventilation system assessments, ensuring the Passivhaus noise criteria for building services are met.

Spectrum’s team was tasked with ensuring compliance across all acoustic performance areas while maintaining the project’s energy efficiency and occupant comfort goals.
Achieving this balance required early and continuous coordination with the M&E design team, particularly around the integration of MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems, which is a core component of Passivhaus design.

While MVHR systems are vital for energy conservation and air quality, they present specific acoustic risks including duct-borne fan noise and breakout noise from units. Spectrum addressed these challenges by undertaking detailed noise modelling and system review at design stage, analysing attenuation paths and interacting closely with the M&E designer and Passivhaus consultant to ensure silencers, duct linings, and other isolation methods where properly specified.

The team also worked with the Passivhaus consultant to verify that acoustic solutions would not compromise thermal performance or airflow efficiency either under normal conditions or during the more challenging overheating condition where increased flow rates are required.

By liaising closely with the design team throughout the design process, Spectrum ensured that the ventilation system achieved the required low noise levels in habitable spaces while retaining full compliance in accordance with BS 8233 and Passivhaus noise criteria – demonstrating how practical acoustic design can reinforce sustainable performance.

“Passivhaus schemes present unique acoustic challenges because of their high levels of airtightness and reliance on mechanical ventilation systems,” explains Alex Priestley, Principal Consultant at Spectrum Acoustic Consultants.
“Our approach on Deptford Landings was to integrate closely with the M&E and Passivhaus teams to ensure the design achieved the strict Passivhaus noise criteria without compromising energy performance or occupant comfort. The result is a development that delivers exceptional living quality, both acoustically and environmentally.”

Outcome

Spectrum’s involvement in Deptford Landings demonstrates how close integration with the design team can improve outcomes and directly support the delivery of forward-thinking, low-carbon housing.

Working as part of the core design team, Spectrum ensured that every acoustic element of the scheme reinforced the energy performance targets and environmental aspirations set out by Peabody and the Passivhaus consultants.

The result is a residential environment that meets rigorous Passivhaus, BS 8233 and ProPG noise standards, preserving the quiet, comfortable conditions essential to occupant well-being.

Our collaborative approach proved critical in refining the design of MVHR systems, ensuring that mechanical efficiency was maintained without introducing unwanted noise into living spaces.

The project also highlights how Spectrum’s approach goes beyond compliance. Their role contributed directly to Peabody’s wider sustainability agenda, creating dwellings that not only meet the technical demands of Passivhaus
certification but deliver genuine long-term comfort for residents.

The outcome is a development that demonstrates the future of urban, low-carbon housing, achieved through collaboration, precision, and a shared commitment to quality.

For more information on how Spectrum Acoustic Consultants can help your residential development or Passivhaus project, contact our team by telephone 01767 318871, by email or alternatively fill out our contact form and we will contact you as soon as we can.