The projects outlined below are just some of the sustainability exemplars we worked on in 2019.
Harris Academy Sutton
In July 2019 we completed the UK’s first Passivhaus secondary school.
The Harris Academy in Sutton achieved the ultra-high energy efficient Passivhaus standard. The building has exceptional airtightness – around 14 times lower than building regulations. This means that energy consumption will be 80% lower than a standard building, helping our customer save on operating costs and reduce carbon emissions. Students and teaching staff will enjoy better air quality, an ideal temperature and the right amount of natural light, providing an optimum building to study and work in.
We’re the UK’s leading non-domestic exponent of the Passivhaus standard, having built the UK’s largest Passivhaus building for Leicester University in 2017.
Kingston University Town House
In 2019, we completed Kingston University Town House, a 9,403 square metre, six-storey building. The building includes a multi-floor library, open auditorium and two studios, as well as a range of informal learning spaces and cafés.
The building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating for its many sustainability features which include a photovoltaic array, a large sustainable urban drainage system, a thermally active building system for underfloor cooling, multiple brown roofs and two roof gardens.
Dudley House, Westminster City Council
Dudley House is a blueprint for how the public sector can deliver housing and economic growth within a constrained urban location. The 22-storey residential block incorporates 197 affordable homes and a nine-storey secondary school, as well as a church and retail units.
The mixed-use project is a prime example of the resurgence in council-led housing. Supporting Westminster City Council’s aim to deliver more affordable housing, the property will generate an income stream of £3.1m a year for the council’s front-line services.
Thanks to its success, Westminster City Council is now encouraging other local authorities to consider similar schemes.
Poole Gateway Building, Bournemouth University
The Poole Gateway Building is a new teaching facility at Bournemouth University and is on track to achieve the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. The project is also piloting our new Energy SynergyTM process, measuring actual energy performance in comparison with anticipated values, and helping to drive down operating costs for our customers.
Sports and Wellness Hub, University of Warwick
The Sports and Wellness Hub at University of Warwick is a state-of-the-art facility for students, staff and the local community. The project plays a key role in the University’s ambition to have the most physically active campus-community in the country.
Since completion, our Energy SynergyTM approach has helped the university achieve significant savings in operating costs by reducing energy consumption through changes to control settings and operating regimes.
The Kennedy Building, University of Kent
This three-storey home for the University of Kent’s School of Economics features an array of photovoltaic panels to reduce reliance on energy from the national grid.
Exeter Police Station
In 2020, we completed Britain’s most environmentally friendly police station.
The Exeter building’s excellent thermal performance, combined with 314m² of solar panels, means that it is predicted to create 22% less carbon emissions than a standard building, saving our customer £40k over the next five years.
We also worked with the police force to enhance biodiversity by planting 300 trees - tripling the number of trees on the estate.
Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley Borough Council
This new digital hub in Chorley, Lancashire achieved BREEAM Excellent. We also diverted 100% of construction waste from landfill and 90% of our local spend (goods and labour) was within a 40-mile radius, supporting the local economy.
The project is a first for the area, being the only high-tech office and collaborative space for start-ups to growing SMEs in the creative and digital industries.