Bluebird wins Residential Project of the Year at the 2026 CIBSE Building Performance Awards

Bluebird is a terrace of six small-scale, colourful shared houses that offer residents a sense of identity, ownership, and community.  A deep sustainability ethos is embedded throughout the project, and the new-build Passivhaus element is entirely gas‑free, using six air‑source heat pumps to deliver all heating and hot water. 

To achieve Passivhaus certification, the project adopted a rigorous approach to the overall form, orientation, glazing, solar shading and services throughout the design development. Material choices were considered for their ecological and performance value, and the design includes water-saving measures and rainwater collection. 

Bluebird sought to reduce embodied and operational carbon wherever possible through considered design decisions, whilst also being mindful of the client’s budget constraints.

It's the eleventh time since 2017 that Max Fordham has won Project of the Year at the CIBSE Building Performance Awards, which are the only industry awards that focus on measured performance outcomes, and not just design intent or performance specifications.