BREEAM Outstanding for UEA Enterprise Centre

BDP provided full engineering design for the Enterprise Centre, a new low carbon exemplar building for the University of East Anglia within the Norwich Research Park. The building, which completed in June, has achieved BREEAM Outstanding with a score of 90.8%, and also Passivhaus standard.

The building pushes the boundaries of the university’s already established approach to developing energy efficient buildings. The project is designed to achieve a 100 year lifespan and exemplifies the use of low embodied carbon materials. Use of local materials and construction was maximised to provide a low carbon building and help stimulate the local economy and traditional skills. Timber came from Thetford Forest, straw for the innovative prefabricated thatch panels from Norfolk and various low carbon building materials including wood wool internal cladding, sonaspray ceiling treatments and flint were all locally sourced and fabricated.

One wing of the building provides lettable flexible floor space for SME start-ups in the low carbon sector including offices, meeting rooms and hot desks. The rest of the accommodation is university teaching and learning facilities including a 300-seat lecture theatre.

A three year post occupancy and building performance evaluation programme has been implemented with contributions from all team members to assist the occupiers to operate their building optimally and ensure the building performs as designed.

This landmark project was part-funded by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund, in addition to funding from University of East Anglia, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBRSC), Norwich Research Park (NRP) and BRE (Building Research Establishment). The vision was developed by the Adapt Low Carbon Group, and Architype was the architect. The building was delivered by Morgan Sindall using a single point delivery form of contract to encourage collaborative working practice.