Sustainability and design in action: A round-up of 2025 at Henriksen Studio

Sustainability and design in action: Henriksen Studio 2025 round-up

As the year draws to a close, now seemed the opportune time to reflect on the past 12 months and the many milestones achieved at Henriksen Studio. From award-winning projects and team growth to speaking engagements and the achievement of ISO 9001 certification, 2025 has been a year defined by progress, collaboration, and purpose.

Throughout the year, we have had the opportunity to work on some pioneering projects, we have welcomed new clients and further strengthened long-standing relationships. At the heart of this is our continued commitment to enhance building performance through sustainable design.

Below, we share some of our key highlights from 2025.

Achieving ISO 9001 Certification

Earlier this year, Henriksen Studio secured ISO 9001 certification, marking an important milestone. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Quality, Diversity, and Accountability, this certification represents more than a formal standard - it is a clear commitment to excellence and continual improvement.

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised standard for quality management systems and reinforces our structured, transparent approach to project delivery. For our clients, this provides:

• Reduced risk through proven quality systems

• Greater confidence in project delivery

• Improved communication and transparency

• A responsive team that listens, adapts, and delivers

We are proud of this achievement and remain focused on embedding quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction into every aspect of our work.

Cyber Essentials Certification

In 2025, we also achieved Cyber Essentials certification, a UK government-backed standard designed to protect organisations against the most common cyber threats. The certification provides clear, practical measures that significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and operational disruption.

For us at Henriksen Studio, this strengthens our internal systems, while offering our clients additional reassurance that their data, designs, and information are protected in line with best-practice standards.

urbanest Battersea: Award-winning student housing in London

We couldn’t reflect on the past year without giving a mention to urbanest Battersea - an exceptional student housing development that has gained international recognition for its sustainability credentials.

The project has achieved Passivhaus certification, BREEAM Outstanding, and is the first student housing scheme to participate in the WELL for Residential Pilot. It is also the largest Passivhaus project in the UK and the largest Passivhaus student housing or university building in Europe.

At Henriksen Studio we are incredibly proud of the role we played in supporting this project. As Passivhaus designers, we worked closely with urbanest from the concept design stage, collaborating to execute urbanest’s vision: to lead the way within student accommodation by delivering the most sustainable product on the market.

In September 2025, urbanest Battersea was featured in the Global Wellness Institute’s report, Build Well to Live Well: Case Studies Volume 1 – it was selected as one of just 13 exemplary projects worldwide. The report highlights how wellness-led real estate can positively transform communities, regardless of scale, budget, or occupant.

Footprint+

In May, our founder Dr Thomas Henriksen joined urbanest and design-team collaborators from Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) and Mace at Footprint+, one of the UK’s leading built-environment conferences.

As part of a panel discussion, the team explored how integrated low-energy design can deliver measurable, real-world impact, sharing lessons learned from the urbanest Battersea project.

Footprint+ brings together industry leaders to address climate change and decarbonisation across the property and construction sectors. We were delighted to contribute to discussions that align so closely with our own values around sustainability and design.

Celebrating six years of Henriksen Studio

In October, we celebrated six years of Henriksen Studio with clients, colleagues, and friends at a client appreciation event at the Sabine Rooftop Bar in London, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral and the London skyline.

It was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on years of collaboration, trust, and shared success. We would like to thank everyone who joined us - and all those who have helped shape our journey so far.

Zak World of Facades: Copenhagen and London

November saw our very own Dr Thomas Henriksen invited to host the Zak World of Facades conference in Copenhagen. In addition to hosting the event and delivering opening and closing addresses, Thomas moderated a panel discussion on Taxonomy and Performance Requirements in Facades.

The event marked only the second time Zak World of Facades had taken place in Denmark, and we were honoured by the invitation.

Earlier in the month, Thomas also presented at the London Zak World of Facades conference, speaking on optical distortion in glass and offering guidance on potential solutions. As a recognised leader in facade engineering and sustainable design, these engagements provide valuable platforms for us to share our knowledge and expertise and to meet with likeminded colleagues from across the industry, who share our passion for sustainability.

Growing our team

2025 has been a year of significant growth for Henriksen Studio. As our client base and project portfolio expanded, so too did our team. Since the start of the year, we have welcomed three new facade specialists and an additional Passivhaus expert, strengthening our technical capability.

We have also expanded our business support functions to ensure we are well positioned for continued growth.

Our team brings together professionals from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to collaboration, technical excellence, and thoughtful sustainability and design. We believe that our collective expertise - and the culture of camaraderie that underpins it - is central to the success of our projects.

Our clients and projects

This year has seen us work across a range of ambitious residential and commercial developments, from student housing and large-scale residential schemes to commercial and leisure projects. Drawing on our specialist facade and Passivhaus expertise, we have supported our clients in delivering high-performance buildings that respond to environmental, social, and operational challenges.

With several exciting projects already underway and more in the pipeline, we look forward to 2026 with optimism - continuing to support our existing clients while embarking on new collaborations that push the boundaries of sustainability and design.