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Ben Murdoch
Ben is a Director at NuPlanet, a local building performance consultancy specialising in low-energy and sustainable design who are also Zero Bills assessors for Octopus Energy.
With a background in architecture and a passion for all things Passivhaus he leads on building performance and is closely involved with organising and developing retrofit assessments and strategies for large scale residential portfolios, private clients, and commercial buildings.
He is a leading member of Retrofit Shoreham, a not-for-profit that is looking to raise awareness and standards of residential retrofit projects across Adur & Shoreham.
Ben is putting the banks money where his mouth is by undertaking a deep retrofit of his own house, seeking to minimise the heating requirement, improve thermal comfort, and meet the EnerPHit standard.
If the world’s been feeling a bit much lately, April offers a lovely excuse to come together with people who care.
This month brings the brilliant Eco Open Houses, Gardens & More, a collaboration between Transition Towns Worthing & Shoreham and Greening Steyning running from 7–19 April.
It’s a big-hearted, community-driven event, with open homes and dozens of fringe activities. What ties it all together? A shared passion for saving energy, water, and waste (and yes, money too!), boosting biodiversity, and finding creative ways to reduce our impact on the planet.
The best part? No one’s trying to sell you anything. It’s simply about sharing ideas, experiences, the wins and the lessons and helping each other navigate what can sometimes feel like a bit of a maze.
You can download the brochure here.
I’m especially looking forward to the presentation and Q&A with my friend Sarah Kemp from Retrofit Sussex, alongside Emma Fletcher, Low Carbon Homes Director at Octopus Energy, definitely one to book early.
There’s also the chance to tour the Worthing Heat Network Energy Hub with Hemiko and get a behind-the-scenes look at how it works, why it’s right in the town centre, and how it’s helping shape Worthing’s greener future.
If you fancy a chat, I’ll be at Lynridge on Shoreham Beach on 18th April, a project I’ve been involved that’s been designed around Passivhaus standards for the extension and retrofit. I’ve also been deep in my own Brighton bungalow retrofit, so always happy to share the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
I’d really recommend catching the film Power Station too, an inspiring project by two artists aiming to spark a people-powered energy revolution. It’s showing at Ropetackle in Shoreham on 11th April.
And there’s plenty more to explore: a RIBA Sussex visit to Streat Hill Farmhouse, plus introductory Tiny House Building sessions at Stanmer Park (17–19 April), run by the Low Carbon Trust.
