Springwood Eco-Office

year 2013

category Commercial Developments

client Cottleigh Consulting

location Hertfordshire

project value £1.5M

Located in rural Hertfordshire, Springwood eco office was designed and built to meet high energy performance requirements. As an ancillary building to provide support to a main research facility housed in an adjacent listed manor house and a laboratory building, the challenges for this greenfield development were significant.

Project Summary

The proposed site occupied a clearing within woodland within the estate grounds. New infrastructure was required which had to be coordinated with existing tracks and access routes to minimse impact on existing mature trees and vegetation.

It was essential that the appearance and indeed the system design were sympathetic to the surroundings.

A detailed energy generation study informed the development of a low carbon design.

This naturally ventilated building utilises a high efficiency air source heat pump to maintain comfort in the occupied areas.

High performance, low energy light fittings have been installed with intelligent controls, including daylight sensing. A roof mounted solar photovoltaic panel array generates electricity on site to offset carbon emissions.

The possibility of using an existing borehole for the supply of water was assessed but deemed impractical due to the low demand of the new building.

Installations aim to balance the competing building demands of function, comfort and energy use by utilising well designed, appropriate, effective and efficient systems.