CLIENT

SITE

CONSULTANCY TYPE

THE TASK

The site is a nursing home which needed to increase the number of resident rooms it offered. As a result, it required a significant refurbishment and building extension.

Gerald Eve was conscious of the need for a long-term strategy for the property and was looking to embed sustainability throughout all aspects of the design and specification for the project.

OUR APPROACH

We created a detailed Dynamic Simulation Model (DSM) of the building, also known as a digital twin. This allowed us to run different scenarios in a virtual environment to understand the impact of different strategies on energy use and carbon emissions. This model will also be used throughout the project and beyond completion to help manage the asset effectively.

Utilising the modelling results allowed us to develop the RIBA Stage 2 concept design and prepare Stage 3 spatially coordinated drawings covering all necessary mechanical and electrical work(s).

The scheme included solar thermal (converting solar energy into hot water) and photovoltaic panels (converting solar energy into electrical energy), heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, energy efficient ventilation and an energy efficient LED lighting upgrade throughout.

A key challenge for the project was to ensure that the occupants were disturbed as little as possible as a result of the project. Maintaining their continued comfort formed an important part of our feasibility studies and project planning.

OUTCOMES

Adding zero carbon initiatives such as solar thermal and PV alongside heat pumps allowed us to exceed minimum building regulation compliance on the works undertaken. This enabled us to retain a large part of the existing building services, which helped reduce costs and embodied carbon.

Our early-stage project appointment allowed the team to discuss concepts and ideas, informing the overall design. Our detailed and accurate modelling means we are confident these refurbishments will see an approximate 15% reduction rate in Energy Use Intensity.

As a result of our detailed knowledge of sustainability and the concepts now embedded within the RIBA Stages 2 and 3 designs, Resero has been retained to develop the RIBA Stage 4 (technical design) drawings and specifications.