Forum Project sustainability report
Forum Project sustainability report
- Description of the project and building
- BREEAM rating and score
- Construction management techniques to reduce environmental impact
- Conclusion
Description of the project and building
Background to the project
The Forum Project is situated in the central campus area of University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus, framed by the Main Library (Rashid Building), Devonshire House, the Great Hall and Northcote House. The development comprises of three main components: The Forum Building, University Reception and Piazzas. The project creates an inspirational mix of outside and inside space that brings together:
- A variety of formal and informal learning spaces - modern and fresh, equipped with the very latest innovative technology, to provide a vibrant and stimulating environment.
- An extended and re-furbished Library: At the project conclusion it will have 700 seats (extending to 850 at peak times), 105 PCs and a mix of individual, group and silent study areas. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- A new Student Services Centre designed to make student life easier than ever before. Open six days a week it will provide a single gateway to eleven student services including the Student Information Desk, Career Zone, and the Guild Advice Unit.
- A diverse and exciting mix of shopping and catering options that are affordable, easily accessible and will stock seasonal, locally-sourced goods.
- The arts and cultural activities – from the architectural glass art work by internationally renowned artist Alexander Beleschenko which forms the artistic centre-piece of the Forum Building to the use of felled trees, new music opportunities in the 400 seat auditorium and provision of temporary exhibitions like the renowned “Hard Rain”.
How it fits into UoE development strategy
In January 2008, the University commissioned a new masterplan for the development of the Streatham Campus. The Forum Project is a key part of this wider development. It presents two particularly important elevations in terms of the masterplan – Firstly a major frontage to the new piazzas with a significant entrance to the new building south of the Great Hall, and secondly a prominent new building to be seen by those arriving at the University from Prince of Wales Road.
Furthermore, The Forum Building forms part of two significant pedestrian routes, one from the central piazza space through toward the Old Library and another past the western end of Devonshire House and through to the vicinity of the Queen’s building. The Piazzas, taken with the pedestrianisation of Stocker Road and the new INTO academic building create a transformational central focus to the campus. While the University Reception offers the opportunity to provide a clearly identified reception entrance leading to the main administrative functions of Northcote House, and provides a space to welcome the public.
Funding Sources
The budgeted total cost for the Forum Project is £48 million. Though this is a substantial sum, it is value for money given the complexity of the site, the quality of the new spaces and the extensive external landscaping to either side of the new building which includes remodelling Stocker Road.
A significant amount of the project cost has been funded by donations. No government funding has been used nor is the project being funded by increased student tuition fees.
Drivers
Students & staff
In 2008 it was anticipated that total University of Exeter student numbers (across all campuses) will increase from 12,997 in the 2007/8 academic year to 16,268 in 2011/12. Therefore the Forum Project helps the University to achieve a high level of service to the rising student numbers. The new learning spaces will benefit staff and students by enabling a wide range of learning and teaching styles, such as research led learning, to be used via the technology labs, seminar rooms and auditorium. Also the building provides a new Student Services Centre and incorporates a bank, shop and cafe.
Sustainability
The main drivers were to achieve a Breeam ‘Excellent’ Rating and to minimise the impact of the project on the environment using measures such as:
- Minimising carbon emissions.
- Utilising energy efficient systems and technologies.
- Maximising use of daylight.Maximising natural ventilation.
- Minimising mechanical heating and cooling, whilst maintaining acceptable comfort levels.
- Utilising water efficient technologies, including rainwater harvesting and use of grey water.
- Designing to minimise embedded energy within the construction process and in building materials.
- Designing to minimise waste and encourage recycling during construction.
- Designing to prevent pollution including during construction.
- Promoting sustainable forms of transport through the design and design in conjunction with the University Travel Plan.
BREEAM rating and score
BREEAM stands for the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method and it is the leading tool for the assessment of buildings from an environmental viewpoint. Its purpose is to carry out a review of a building or a design of a building and to identify its environmental strengths and weaknesses.
BREEAM uses recognised design codes, national and international standards, planning policy, environmental strategies and legislative requirements to determine the measures by which credits can be awarded.
The assessment is broken down into 9 categories, each of which comprise a number of credits to be assessed:
- Management
- Health and Wellbeing
- Energy
- Transport
- Water
- Materials
- Waste
- Land Use and Ecology
- Pollution
Additional credits worth up to 10% may also be available for achieving exemplary performance standards for some credits and for including innovative features, systems or processes. In order to achieve a Breeam Excellent Rating a minimum score of 70% is required.
At Design Stage the building achieved a BREEAM 2008 ‘Excellent’ rating with a score of 71.96%. The project is on track to meet and potentially gain a higher score at post construction stage with a target score of 74.44%.
Design features and sustainability
The project design incorporated many key innovative and low impact features to reduce the building’s environmental impact and to ensure the building was sustainable. This included:
- Ground Source Heat Pump, Thermal Wheel Heat Recovery, Earth Tubes, Low Energy Displacement ventilation, maximised daylighting and energy efficient lighting to reduce energy consumption and minimise CO2 emissions.
- Rainwater Harvesting used in flushing toilets to reduce the demand of potable water.
- Dedicated recycling area along with a compactor and a composter to reduce waste to landfill.
- Low flush toilets, low flow taps and showers and waterless urinals to reduce water consumption.
- Increased number of plant habitats to enhance the sites plant species, for example the introduction of a wetland habitat.
- Integrated Cycle Parking to encourage sustainable transport.
- Re-use of existing buildings and demolition arisings to reduce consumption of raw materials.
Costs
| Element | Cost £/m2 |
|---|---|
| Building | £4436 |
| Services | £534 |
| External works (incl. Drainage) | £196 |
Functions and areas
The total area of the site is 2.217 Hectares which includes the new build, refurbishment and external areas. The Gross Internal Floor Area is 15900m2.
| Element | Area m2 |
|---|---|
| Area of Circulation | 4489 |
| Area of Storage | 564 |
| Auditorium | 486 |
| Learning Spaces | 1258 |
| Student Services Centre | 845 |
| Retail & Catering | 787 |
| Library Extension | 972 |
| Library | 4313 |
| Devonshire House | 747 |
Energy and water usage
| Element | Predicted - kWh/m2 |
|---|---|
| Electricity Consumption | 29.1 |
| Fossil Fuel Consumption | 1.12 |
| Predicted Renewable Energy Generation | 21.9 |
| Element | Predicted - m3/person/year |
| Water Consumption | 4.0 |
| Element | Predicted - % |
| % Water Consumption to be Provided by Rainwater and/or Greywater | 42.0 |
Construction management techniques to reduce environmental impact
Measures implemented during the construction phase to reduce environmental impacts included:
- Implementation of an accredited Environmental Management System.
- Responsible Sourcing of Materials including FSC/PEFC Timber.
- Procuring materials with recycled content including concrete, insulation & plasterboard.
- Protection of Trees adjacent to site which have Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
- Minimise waste to landfill through segregation of waste.
- Monitoring carbon emissions from fuel, energy & water usage.
- Encouraging subcontractors to undertake sustainable work practises through the Green Accord Scheme
Conclusion
The Forum Project is on course to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ when the final assessment is conducted in September 2012.
