Entopia Building, CISL
- Location
- Cambridge, UK
- Client
- University of Cambridge
- Expertise
- Acoustics
- Building Services Engineering
- Civil & Structural Engineering
- Lighting
- Sustainability
- Completion
- 2022
- Size
- 3,500 sq m
- Cost
- £12.8m
A world first for a retrofitted sustainable office building, setting new standards for low energy use, carbon emissions and impact on natural resources.
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Nestled within the central Cambridge Conservation Area, the once 1930s telephone exchange has been transformed into an ultra-low carbon sustainability hub. The refurbished project provides a new home for the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership (CISL) as it scales up business, government and academic leadership, collaboration and innovation to accelerate the inclusive global transition.
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The building also provides a dynamic virtual hub for its offices in Brussels and Cape Town, partner organisations in China, Australia and the UAE, as well as its global corporate partners, alumni, fellows, associates, researchers and visiting academics.
Opened by King Charles, the Entopia Building is the vision of CISL Founder Director Dame Polly Courtice who has led the Institute for more than 30 years - inspiring companies, policymakers and civil society leaders to take leadership for sustainability.
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The design uses science-based targets to achieve measurable and certifiable objectives via a building physics-led approach. BREEAM Outstanding, EnerPHit (the Passivhaus standard for retrofit) and WELL Gold standard have all been applied and synthesised to dovetail their requirements and contradictions. It’s an impressive and serious team effort led by Architype and collaborators including our engineers and sustainability team.
Finishes and furniture have been selected to embody circular economy principles, such as the rescuing of light fittings discarded from office fit-outs. On top of this the planners’ desire to make minimal alterations to what has to be said, is a rather ordinary and fortress-like edifice, stifled the transformation of the defensive nature of the building into something more engaging.
carbon saved per m2 of GIA compared to a standard office fit out. (6,340kgCO2e/m2 GIA over 100 years)
spent on triple-glazed windows to improve insulation and airtightness, control solar heat gain and maximise daylight
saved through reclaimed materials such as the PV rooftop canopy, lighting and furniture, fixtures and equipment
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“The Entopia Building is the most significant project of its type in the country – proving that the most sustainable building is one that already exists. The measures we are incorporating go far beyond standard sustainable buildings and the integrated and collaborative approach to design, operation and management has resulted in a truly efficient, world class facility.
This project is an exemplar for the evolution of sustainable building refurbishment approaches in the UK, and we are very proud to have been part of a fantastic team that bought it to life.”
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