A science park building which achieved a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to traditional buildings in 1997 is one of the key objectives of a building being developed close to Nottingham city centre.This target is being achieved through a combination of the use of renewable energy sources and passive design principles. While such parks tend to be energy hungry, car-based development, this project is seeking to meet the needs of business in a way that minimizes the environmental impact.
The 4,000sq metre building, which will be completed in May, is on a five hectare site close to Nottingham University and is the first project being developed by Blueprint, a joint venture between the East Midlands Development Agency and Igloo Regeneration Fund. This first phase of development will be made up of 31 small businesses units. Subsequent phases will be built on demand from larger businesses.
Igloo’s socially responsible investment policy aims to help to rebuild economies and support communities through developments that have been subject to full local consultation and which have a reduced energy and water footprint. The company requires a commercial return from its investments but according to John Long, a director at Blueprint, it takes a long term view. It is not looking for a ‘super profit’, preferring to maximize the long term benefits.
The building structure comprises a mixture of concrete and timber. The green coloured timber cladding is made of 70% reconstituted timber and resin which is a sustainable source, while the concrete was required to achieve the span needed to meet Blueprint’s specifications and the requirements of small businesses. The concrete provides thermal mass and leaving it exposed will enable thermal exchange, explained Elisa Simonetti, the project architect at Studio Egret West. The alternative would have been to use a steel frame with false ceilings, she added.
It will have a brown roof to maximize insulation, reduce water runoff and to promote biodiversity. “A green roof would have been more aesthetically pleasing but it would have required more watering we felt we could not have imposed an ecosystem,” said Long. “We want to create the conditions and allow nature to move in,” he added.
Traditional business parks are dominated by car parking, we are trying to avoid that, whilst meeting the expectations of some businesses, explained Long. A limited amount of car parking is provided underneath the building, which saves spaces and reduces its prominence. It was advantageous to put the building on stilts because the site was used for landfill and to minimise the dangers of flooding. The car parking is semi-enclosed by a gabion wall which is a wire basket retaining wall. The wall structure allows plants to grow in the cracks to promote biodiversity. The car park is only semi-enclosed to avoid the need for mechanical ventilation in the parking area.
Green travel
Blueprint requires all its developments to have a green travel plan. There is only a limited amount of car parking as the company wants to promote the use of public transport. The site will be served by the next phase of Nottingham’s tram service. The company is also discussing with the city council how to provide real time information on public transport services to the tenants’ computer networks.
The building’s orientation seeks to maximize the benefits of solar gain with large numbers of windows as well as shading to reduce the need for lighting, heating and cooling. The main heating source is a biomass boiler. The company is looking for a five year contract for the supply of wood pellets which may need to come from Scandinavia by boat. The boiler is being housed in a brightly decorated rubber-clad building. “We wanted to draw attention to the building,” explained Simonetti. “It will welcome people on to the site and there will be panels explaining how the building uses green energy,” she said.
Tenants of traditional businesses space, demand air conditioning. This development seeks to avoid the use of energy intensive air conditioning whilst providing the cooling needed due to use of IT equipment. It is using a combination of a comfort cooling system and an adiabatic system. Air ducts strategically located throughout the building are linked to a central unit where water is used to cool air that is then circulated into the office units through the ducts. Exhaust air is taken from extractors placed at high level. There are temperature controls in each of the business units.
The sustainable urban drainage system uses a nearby brook to take the runoff from the building and it also provides attractive shared public space. The main basin is a duck pond which is linked to the brook through a long lily pond. “The aim is that the flow into the brook is well controlled even during periods of heavy rain,” explained Long. A board walk around the ponds is being provided on lily-shaped wooden panels. This links into Nottingham University’s nearby nature reserve.
This scheme is being built speculatively to the standards which Blueprint would like to incorporate throughout the development. However, subsequent phases will be built according to the requirements of the occupiers. “Hopefully these incoming companies will share our commitment to high environmental standards,” said Long.