This investment will benefit from the Government’s Feed in Tariffs and follows the building’s achievement as the first BREEAM Outstanding Office at design stage in the UK with the highest score achieved of 89.12% in October 2009. Already performing well with building emissions 55% less than 2006 Building Regulations, the office has achieved an Energy Performance Certificate from WSP Consulting Engineers of A+ or zero emissions.
The building incorporates many energy saving features including a wood pellet biomass boiler for space and water heating, energy saving lighting and controls, a ‘nature’ roof and grey water recycling. Energy efficiency is aided by the adoption of a highly insulated timber ‘envelope’ and a natural ventilation strategy which encourages fresh air purging and night cooling using roof mounted, sensor-controlled windows above the stair void.
This much larger array of photovoltaics has enabled net carbon emissions resulting from energy consumed in the operation of the space heating and cooling, hot-water systems, ventilation and internal lighting to be zero or better. The building is being monitored and the building’s data will be evaluated and made publicly available. Currently it is performing better than anticipated, possibly due to the ‘light police’ who constantly switch off lights, but more probably due to the high level of natural daylighting.
The 500sq.m building has been designed to accommodate over 50 staff on two floors in an open plan studio arrangement linked by an open tread staircase. It will breathe new life into a former industrial site, currently being redeveloped into offices. It is located on a former industrial service yard that has also become the shared parking area for this office and the nearby NSPCC offices (also designed by Stride Treglown).
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