Trafalgar Way
From the outset, the sustainability bar for this project was set very high!
BREEAM outstanding was targeted for the 1,600-bed student accommodation element and excellent for the smaller office and retail elements. Currently, design stage certification has been achieved. The project also targets Passivhaus certification, which once completed, will mean the scheme will be Europe’s largest Passivhaus certified building.
In addition to acting as Sustainability Consultant for the project, we undertook the role of Energy Consultant, putting forward an innovative solution. One of the key design and analytical challenges was to optimise the use of heat pump technology to conserve energy, maximise efficiency and minimise losses. The application of an ambient loop allows energy to be recovered across the scheme, minimising the electricity needed to generate heating, cooling and hot water for the building’s multiple uses resulting in very high performance. CO2 emissions have been minimised by approximately 60% site wide.
In addition to the state-of-the-art energy strategy, the façade design played a central part in achieving the lofty project goals. We were responsible for thermal comfort analysis as well as the energy & carbon consultancy for each element of the scheme, including the 68 residential units in Tower 1.
Team collaboration on a fabric first approach, under the stewardship of a meticulous façade engineer supported by our experienced modelling team, facilitated remarkable performance for a mixed-use building of this scale.
Urbanest Victoria
The operator sought to have a BREEAM In-Use assessment conducted on one of their existing properties, to independently verify its sustainability performance during operation and demonstrate its ESG performance using a globally recognised benchmark. Our assessment focused on Part 1 (Asset’s Performance) of the BREEAM In-Use methodology, reviewing key issues of management, health and wellbeing, energy water, resources, and resilience for the building and its fixtures, fittings, and installed services.
A detailed review of all elements of asset performance was undertaken against the BREEAM In-Use international standards for commercial buildings. This allowed us to create an action plan to optimise the building’s performance and BREEAM In-Use rating, using expert assessment advice to support our client and their team to ensure the required measures were in place and evidence of these verifiable.
Pursuing BREEAM In-Use certification benefits our client by providing better understanding of how energy use and health and wellbeing can be managed in their building and by allowing them to demonstrate ESG leadership in their sector.
Exchange House
We were appointed to undertake a Whole Life-cycle Carbon (WLC) Assessment for this major office refurbishment in the City of London, reviewing both embodied carbon in the materials specified for the works and operational carbon associated with energy consumption in use. The study was used to inform decision-making on future projects, as well as addressing the Client’s overarching sustainability policies.
A granular analysis approach was taken to functional areas, material selections, quantities, and data sources. This allowed targeted recommendations to be made to reduce key contributors to WLC, such as the reprocessing and refurbishment of the existing raised access floor tiles – saving around 45% of the embodied carbon.
Other recommendations focussed on material selection, ensuring the most impactful materials were specified – sourced from manufacturers who could demonstrate lower embodied carbon performance.
A post-construction review of the assessment, reflecting changes to materials selections and improvements to embodied carbon data sources over the lifespan of the project verified the recommendations made and allowed our client to adopt these across a range of subsequent projects.
MK Gateway
MK Gateway is a mixed-use scheme combining commercial workspace, retail and community use alongside an enhanced public realm in the heart of Milton Keynes.
As sustainability and energy consultants, we were key to achieving planning permission for this landmark site in the context of challenging new policy targets. Our work encompassed responses to sustainability and energy targets for the site and its individual components, including considerations of local and site-wide energy networks, energy storage and demand response and long-term monitoring of energy performance.
Our wider duties included reporting on climate change resilience, whole life-cycle carbon, design for disassembly and functional adaptability and indoor air quality/overheating considerations.
25 Cannon Street
25 Cannon Street is an exceptional commercial office building that redefines the standards of contemporary workspace in the heart of the City of London.
We acted as Energy and Sustainability Consultant, supporting the client and project team throughout the refurbishment of the building.
The refurbishment delivered high-specification, energy-efficient workspace which prioritises occupier wellbeing through improved access to natural light and better air quality. The building attained a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and adopted a fossil fuel-free services strategy to put it on a pathway to net-zero carbon operation.
Retention of the structure and original stone façade contributed to reducing embodied carbon emissions, resulting an ‘A’ rating against the 2030 LETI target for commercial developments being achieved.
Urbanest City
We provided sustainability and energy services for this student accommodation-led mixed-use scheme in the City of London.
The project achieved BREEAM excellent, saving approximately 150 Tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The scope of this project included retaining a large section of Roman wall in the basement, which has been restored and is open to the public to view within a dedicated exhibition space, contributing to the social benefits of the scheme.
Developing in the centre of the City usually poses considerable challenges, with this project being no exception; the reuse of the existing basement structure enabled the saving of considerable quantities of embodied carbon.
The barrel-vaulted roof design, with an inclined cladding system, was designed with integrated solar shading louvres to reduce overheating risk and contribute to occupant comfort. The energy and thermal comfort analyses undertaken throughout the project’s design was key in informing the technically challenging façade and roof designs.