4. How we use your personal information

We may use personal information to:

4.1 Respond to enquiries

We use your information to:

• respond to your enquiry;

• arrange consultations or meetings;

• understand your project;

• assess whether we can assist;

• prepare proposals, quotations or appointments; and

• follow up on a requested service.

4.2 Provide architectural and related services

We use client and project information to:

• establish and manage our professional appointment;

• develop and deliver design and consultancy services;

• prepare drawings, specifications, reports and applications;

• coordinate consultants and contractors;

• communicate with clients and project stakeholders;

• submit information to planning authorities, building-control bodies and other regulators;

• assist with tendering, construction, contract administration and project management;

• manage changes, instructions, approvals, payments and project records; and

• complete and close projects.

4.3 Manage our business

We use information to:

• maintain accounting and tax records;

• administer contracts and professional appointments;

• manage consultants, contractors and suppliers;

• maintain professional-indemnity and other insurance;

• undertake quality-control and business-continuity activities;

• manage our IT systems and document storage;

• prevent fraud, misuse and security incidents;

• exercise or defend legal claims; and

• meet professional, legal and regulatory responsibilities.

4.4 Operate and improve our website

We use website and analytics information to:

• operate and secure our website;

• understand website traffic and visitor behaviour;

• identify popular content and services;

• diagnose technical problems;

• measure the effectiveness of our website and communications; and

• improve website content, navigation and user experience.

Non-essential analytics and media technologies are used only in accordance with the cookie choices available through our website.

4.5 Send marketing communications

Where permitted, we may send:

• newsletters;

• architectural and planning updates;

• project news and case studies;

• invitations and events;

• information about our services; and

• other relevant promotional communications.

For individual website enquirers, newsletter subscribers, sole traders and certain partnerships, we will normally rely on your consent.

Submitting an enquiry does not itself amount to consent to receive marketing. Our enquiry form provides a separate, optional marketing choice.

Every marketing email will include a way to unsubscribe. You may also withdraw consent or object to marketing by emailing enquiries@greenfuturearchitects.co.uk.

We may contact people at limited companies and other corporate bodies about relevant business services where permitted by law. We will respect any objection or unsubscribe request.

4.6 Facilitate requested introductions

Where you ask us to introduce you to another professional, such as a consultant, contractor, mortgage adviser or financial adviser, we may share relevant contact or project information:

• at your request;

• with your consent where required; or

• where otherwise necessary to take requested pre-contractual steps.

Any third party receiving your information will be responsible for explaining its own use of that information.

5. Our lawful bases for processing

Data-protection law requires us to have a lawful basis for using personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, we rely on the following bases.

5.1 Taking steps before entering into a contract

We use this basis when you ask us to:

• assess an enquiry;

• attend a consultation;

• prepare a quotation or proposal;

• consider a potential appointment; or

• take other steps before entering into a contract with you.

5.2 Performance of a contract

We use this basis where processing is necessary to:

• provide agreed professional services;

• manage our appointment;

• communicate about a project;

• coordinate project delivery;

• administer fees and payments; or

• meet our contractual responsibilities.

5.3 Legal obligation

We may process information where necessary to comply with:

• company and tax law;

• data-protection law;

• health and safety requirements;

• planning, building-control or building-safety obligations;

• court orders and lawful regulatory requests;

• anti-fraud and financial-record requirements; or

• other legal and professional duties.

5.4 Legitimate interests

We may process information where necessary for our legitimate interests or those of another person, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.

These interests may include:

• responding to and administering enquiries;

• managing client, consultant, contractor and supplier relationships;

• operating and developing our architectural practice;

• maintaining appropriate project and professional records;

• establishing, exercising or defending legal claims;

• maintaining professional-indemnity insurance;

• securing our website, communications and IT systems;

• preventing fraud or misuse;

• understanding and improving our services;

• maintaining appropriate business-to-business communications; and

• publishing appropriately authorised or anonymised project material.

Where appropriate, we consider the necessity and proportionality of this use and its likely impact on the individuals concerned.

5.5 Consent

We rely on consent where required, including for:

• email newsletters and promotional emails sent to individual subscribers;

• non-essential analytics, media or marketing cookies;

• certain project photography, testimonials or case studies;

• optional disclosures or introductions; and

• any other purpose for which we specifically ask for consent.

You may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

6. If you do not provide information

You are not generally required to provide personal information merely to browse our website.

However, if you do not provide information needed to respond to an enquiry, prepare an appointment, comply with a legal duty or deliver professional services, we may be unable to respond fully or provide the requested service.

7. Who we share personal information with

We do not sell personal information.

We may share information where necessary with:

7.1 Website, communications and IT providers

These may include:

• Squarespace, which hosts and supports our website and website analytics;

• Google, in connection with Google Analytics and embedded YouTube content;

• Microsoft, in connection with Microsoft 365, Outlook, OneDrive and related services;

• our newsletter or email-campaign provider;

• IT support, cybersecurity, hosting, backup and software providers; and

• other suppliers that process information on our behalf.

7.2 Project participants

Depending on the project, information may be shared with:

• architects and designers;

• planning consultants;

• structural, civil and building-services engineers;

• quantity surveyors and cost consultants;

• landscape architects;

• ecologists, arboricultural consultants and other specialists;

• energy, sustainability, access, acoustic and fire consultants;

• principal designers and health and safety advisers;

• contractors, subcontractors and suppliers;

• contract administrators and project managers;

• property owners, occupiers and authorised representatives; and

• other members of the design, construction or property team.

Only information reasonably relevant to the recipient’s role should be shared.

7.3 Public bodies and regulators

We may share information with:

• local planning authorities;

• building-control bodies and building-safety regulators;

• statutory consultees;

• highway, environmental and utility authorities;

• the Architects Registration Board and other professional bodies;

• HM Revenue & Customs;

• Companies House;

• courts, tribunals, law-enforcement bodies and regulators; and

• other public authorities where disclosure is required or appropriate.

Information included in a planning, listed-building, building-control or other public application may become available on a public register. Such information may remain publicly accessible under the authority’s own retention and publication arrangements.

7.4 Professional and financial advisers

We may share information with:

• accountants and bookkeepers;

• banks and payment providers;

• insurers and insurance brokers;

• solicitors and other legal advisers;

• business advisers and auditors; and

• debt-recovery or dispute-resolution providers.

7.5 Business changes

If Green Future Architects Ltd is reorganised, sold, merged or transfers part of its business, relevant information may be disclosed to professional advisers and prospective or actual purchasers, subject to appropriate confidentiality and data-protection arrangements.

7.6 Other disclosures

We may disclose information:

• where you request or consent to the disclosure;

• where necessary to protect our rights, property or safety or those of another person;

• to investigate suspected fraud or unlawful conduct; or

• where required by law.

8. International transfers

Some of our technology and service providers operate internationally. Consequently, personal information may be stored or accessed in countries outside the United Kingdom.

Where information is transferred outside the UK, we take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate legal mechanism and safeguards are in place. Depending on the destination and provider, these may include:

• UK adequacy regulations;

• the UK International Data Transfer Agreement;

• the UK Addendum to approved standard contractual clauses;

• binding corporate rules; or

• another lawful transfer mechanism.

You may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to a particular transfer.

9. How we protect personal information

We use proportionate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information from accidental or unlawful loss, alteration, disclosure, destruction or unauthorised access.

Measures may include:

• password and access controls;

• multi-factor authentication where available;

• secure cloud and email services;

• device and software security;

• controlled access to project and business records;

• secure backups;

• appropriate processor contracts;

• staff and contractor confidentiality requirements; and

• procedures for dealing with data-security incidents.

No internet transmission or storage system is entirely secure. Although we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. How long we keep personal information

We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, contractual, professional, insurance, accounting and dispute-resolution requirements.

Our usual retention periods are:

• General website enquiries that do not progress - 12 months after the last meaningful contact

• Consultations, proposals and quotations that do not progress to an appointment - 2 years after the last meaningful contact

• Client and architectural project records - Normally 12 years after completion or termination of the appointment.

• Records relating to building-safety, fire-safety, latent-defect or other long-tail liabilities - Longer where reasonably required by law, contract, insurer requirements or the circumstances of the project.

• Contracts, appointments and project payment records - Normally 12 years after completion or termination, where retained as part of the project file.

• Consultant, contractor and supplier records - 6 years after the end of the relevant relationship or transaction.

• Accounting, company and tax records - At least 6 years from the end of the relevant company financial year, or longer where legally required

• Marketing information - Until consent is withdrawn, an objection is received or the information is no longer reasonably current.

• Marketing suppression records - For as long as reasonably necessary to ensure that an unsubscribe or objection continues to be respected.

• Consent records - For as long as the consent is relied upon and for an appropriate period afterwards to demonstrate compliance

• Data-protection requests and complaints - Normally 6 years after the matter is closed.

• Google Analytics event-level data - Up to 14 months, subject to the settings applied to our account

• Cookie preferences - In accordance with the duration stated in our Cookie Policy, normally 30 days for Squarespace consent-preference cookies.

We may retain information for longer where:

• a complaint, claim, investigation or dispute is anticipated or ongoing;

• a legal or regulatory requirement applies;

• our professional-indemnity insurer requires it;

• the information is contained in a public planning or regulatory record;

• deletion would interfere with the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or

• another justified reason applies.

At the end of the applicable period, information will be deleted, anonymised or securely destroyed where reasonably practicable.

11. Marketing choices

You can stop receiving marketing communications at any time by:

• selecting the unsubscribe option in a marketing email; or

• emailing enquiries@greenfuturearchitects.co.uk.

We may retain your email address on a suppression list so that your preference continues to be respected.

Unsubscribing from marketing will not prevent us from sending necessary communications concerning an active enquiry, appointment, contract, invoice or project.

12. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses necessary cookies and, where you consent, non-essential analytics, performance and media cookies.

We use:

• Squarespace Analytics;

• Google Analytics; and

• embedded YouTube content.

You can accept, reject or manage non-essential cookies through the cookie controls on our website.

Further details are provided in our Cookie Policy.

13. Social-media links

Our website includes icons linking to our pages on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

These are external links rather than embedded social-media feeds. When you select one of these links, you leave our website and the relevant platform may collect information about your visit in accordance with its own privacy and cookie policies.

We do not control those platforms or their processing practices.

14. Embedded YouTube content

Some pages may include videos provided through YouTube.

YouTube or Google may process device, browser, interaction and cookie information when embedded content is loaded or played. We use our website cookie controls to manage non-essential media cookies where supported.

You can reject non-essential cookies, although this may prevent an embedded video from loading or functioning normally. You may instead choose to view the content directly on YouTube, subject to YouTube and Google’s own policies.

15. Downloadable documents and external websites

Our website may contain downloadable documents and links to external websites.

This Privacy Notice applies only to Green Future Architects Ltd. Other organisations are responsible for their own websites and privacy practices. You should review their privacy notices before providing information to them.

Downloaded documents do not ordinarily collect personal information by themselves. If you complete and return a form, we will handle the information in accordance with this Privacy Notice.

16. Children’s information

Our website and services are not directed specifically at children, and we do not knowingly collect children’s personal information through our website.

A project may concern a school, nursery, family home or other environment used by children. We aim to avoid collecting identifiable information about individual children unless it is genuinely necessary and there is an appropriate lawful basis.

17. Special-category information

We do not intentionally request health, biometric, racial or ethnic, religious, sexual-orientation or other special-category information through our general website enquiry form.

Please avoid including such information unless it is necessary for your project or communication.

If special-category information is provided unexpectedly, we may delete it or ask you to provide only the information necessary for the relevant purpose.

18. Automated decision-making

We do not use personal information to make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.

19. Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the following rights:

19.1 Right to be informed

You have the right to clear information about how we use your personal information.

19.2 Right of access

You may ask for confirmation that we process your information and request a copy of it, together with other relevant information.

19.3 Right to rectification

You may ask us to correct inaccurate information or complete information that is incomplete.

19.4 Right to erasure

You may ask us to delete personal information in certain circumstances. This is not an absolute right, and we may need to retain information for legal, contractual, insurance or claim-related reasons.

19.5 Right to restrict processing

You may ask us to limit the way we use information in certain circumstances.

19.6 Right to data portability

Where processing is based on consent or contract and is carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive information you provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

19.7 Right to object

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances.

You have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing.

19.8 Right to withdraw consent

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

19.9 Rights concerning automated decisions

You may have rights relating to certain solely automated decisions, although we do not currently undertake this type of decision-making.

Some rights apply only in particular circumstances and are subject to legal exemptions.

20. Exercising your rights

To exercise a data-protection right, contact:

Email: enquiries@greenfuturearchitects.co.uk

Post:
Green Future Architects Ltd
Office 4
Sunningend Business Centre
22 Lansdown Industrial Estate
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL51 8PL

Please explain which right you wish to exercise and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records.

We may ask for reasonable proof of identity where necessary. We will not ordinarily charge a fee.

We normally respond within one month. The law may permit us to extend the response period or pause it while we seek information reasonably needed to clarify a request.

21. Data-protection complaints

You may complain to us if you are concerned about how we have collected, used, stored, shared or otherwise handled your personal information.

Please send your complaint to enquiries@greenfuturearchitects.co.uk and clearly identify it as a data-protection complaint.

We will:

• provide you with a way to make a complaint;

• acknowledge receipt within 30 days;

• make appropriate enquiries and investigate the complaint;

• keep you informed where appropriate; and

• notify you of the outcome without undue delay.

We would appreciate the opportunity to resolve your concern directly.

22. Complaints to the Information Commissioner

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: ico.org.uk

You may contact the ICO at any time, although it will often be helpful to raise the matter with us first.

23. Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice when our services, website, suppliers or legal obligations change.

The latest version will be published on our website and identified by the “last updated” date at the beginning of the notice.

Material changes may also be communicated by another appropriate method.