ARCHITECTS SCOTT BROWNRIGG ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING A NEW BASE FOR NOT-FOR-PROFIT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION CABI.
For more than 30 years CABI, who apply scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment, were based in an old school building that required a high level of maintenance.
The organisation wanted a new state-of-the-art headquarters that reflected its own environmental credentials and also showcased sustainable design.
The Scott Brownrigg design provides a £10m two-storey, low carbon office that integrates an experimental bio-diverse landscape with a new collaborative flexible working environment. Situated in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the building responds to its surroundings with a living roof, which will attract insects and birds and enhance biodiversity. Inside, it hosts up to 180 members of staff, who are provided with a range of amenities including a café restaurant, meeting rooms and conference room/auditorium.
“We have ensured the design is highly energy efficient with detailed strategies for materials, orientation and structures,” explained Ed Hayden, a Director of Scott Brownrigg. “Natural ventilation was a key design factor, and was achieved by a perforated façade, which permits cool air into the building throughout day and night. A traffic light system alerts users when the building gets too hot or doesn’t have enough fresh air.
“At the heart of this project is CABI’s commitment to encouraging biodiversity and protecting the environment. The design is highly energy efficient with detailed strategies for materials, orientation and structures. The design includes a careful selection of materials for the building fabric, which will reduce the energy consumption, to embrace the aim of low carbon use in operation.
“Designing with passive sustainability as a priority, the building is positioned to minimise solar gains by orientating it East-West, and will provide shade in the summer and allow sunlight in the winter.
“Completing in 2020 means that the HQ foreshadowed the shift in priorities for office space users who, due to Covid-19, have placed increased importance on clean air.”
Scott Brownrigg worked alongside Project Managers and Lead Consultant Ridge and Partners LLP (Ridge) to complete a low energy design that offers a two-storey office space, successfully integrating an experimental bio-diverse landscape with a new collaborative flexible working environment.
GEZE’s automatic doors provided the perfect solution for the new building where environmentally friendly criteria was at the heart of its design.
A GEZE Slimdrive SCR automatic curved sliding door was chosen to provide a light and airy all-glass lobby entrance which blends seamlessly into the facade.
The circular entrance features two sets of automatic bi-parting curved glass sliding doors, creating a lobby that minimises heat loss or gain and so helps to contribute to the building’s environmental credentials.
In addition the Slimdrive SCR combines high performance with unobtrusive operation – the drives are just 7cm in height and very discreet.
The client’s objective for the new headquarters was to construct an eco-building that made a statement, whilst also blending into the surrounding countryside.
For the roof, Bauder's lightweight Thermofol PVC waterproofing was specified with an extensive sedum blanket to create a green roof. Rooflights were incorporated to provide natural top light, helping to reduce demand for electric lighting and help lower CO2 emissions.
The technical and sustainability expertise and support available from the Bauder technical team and area manager, coupled with the comprehensive guarantee package made Bauder the ideal supplier to work with the architects on this project.
Products used included:
- Bauder Thermofol PVC - This single ply system is lightweight and has a high-grade virgin polymer formulation with superior fire retardants. The PVC formulation ensures it is resistant to chemicals and micro-organism attack making it well suited to receive a green roof.
BauderPIR FA Insulation - To achieve efficient drainage and taking into consideration the shape of the roof, BauderPIR FA Insulation was specified on the CABI project. This insulation is lightweight, cost effective and easy to install. The low thermal conductivity allows for the insulation to be of reduced thickness compared to other insulants and the layout scheme is designed to produce minimal waste. - Bauder XF301 Sedum Blanket - Bauder’s XF301 Sedum Blanket is a mature vegetation blanket, sown with a variety of sedums. It is intended for application directly over the waterproofing system without the need for a secondary substrate growing medium, making it the lightest self-contained sedum blanket system available.