| The Dakenham
Project
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Muck
Lane, Rackheath
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Low
Carbon Offices
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Building
Partnerships commitment to the environment is illustrated
by a pathfinding commercial project located on the
north-east of Norwich. The scheme involves demolishing
asbestos farm buildings to construct “green” office
buildings that set new levels in lowering carbon footprints
for the commercial sector.
Current office buildings are covered by a standard
known as BREEAM where “excellent” is the
highest accreditation. The objective is to design and
construct new buildings that achieve a carbon footprint
approximately 80-85% lower than existing standards.
This will generate an annual saving on the scheme of
around 160 tonnes of carbon. It is to be achieved at
no greater cost than on standard designs and meeting
occupier and funder requirements.
Building Partnerships
has appointed architects, services engineers, quantity
and structural surveyors
to collaborate on the scheme. Design work is ongoing
that involves innovative use of materials in construction,
heat pumps and passive ventilation for controlling
the internal environment of the buildings and wind
turbines to generate electricity for the scheme.
Two buildings are being designed. A single storey
office of 6,000 sq ft (557 sq m) with passive ventilation
and a two storey building of 13,000 sq ft (1,200
sq m) that incorporates mechanical ventilation.
From
an early stage the occupiers will engage with the
project. Each company taking offices will participate
in carbon
footprinting to benchmark occupier’s carbon
use and exchange best practice. Annual targets will
be set for each occupier and for the scheme as a
whole. These targets will be subject to continuous
performance monitoring that will be linked to financial
incentives.
A planning application was submitted in
March 2008.
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