Net-Zero Advisory

The development is made up of two and three storey enterprise buildings, including external works and landscaping. The site is located approximately 1.5 miles north of the city of Leicester and is part of its hub for high tech, low carbon and innovative businesses, including high tech knowledge based and creative companies, covering a wide range of sectors from office based uses, such as software development, through to bespoke laboratory space. Pioneer Park is located as part of the National Space Centre.

The new offices will provide space for up to 45 businesses across c.43,000 sq ft, with the purpose-built industrial units providing more than 21,500 sq ft of workspace across nine units.

The proposed building specifications are as follows:

• UKGBC Net Zero Carbon Construction and Operation Certified.
• Prime specification to include low energy LED lighting, roof mounted photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps, and super insulation.
• Dedicated on-site parking.

As part of their ‘Levelling Up’ funding application to central government, Envision developed a Net-Zero business case for a number of development sites being brought forward by the council’s development team. We demonstrated how exemplar levels of operational and embodied carbon could be achieved within the budget of the funding application. The council were successful and Envision are now directly supporting the council’s joint venture development partners in implementing the strategies on-site. This includes undertaking a Whole Life Cycle Carbon Assessment (WLCA) at key project stages to achieve Net-Zero Carbon in construction as per UKGBC guidance.

• Envision worked with the team to set targets to help drive embodied carbon reductions. This was implemented by working with Brackley to undertake an early stage WLCA and highlight the primary contributors to the buildings embodied carbon. From this, Envision worked to implement an upfront embodied carbon target in the tender specifications for both the overall development and specific building elements on the project to ensure the carbon reduction strategy was implemented by the contractor. This project is currently under construction and Envision is continuing our Net-Zero support on the contractor end to help them accurately track data and materials required for a robust As-Built WLCA aligned with UKGBC Net-Zero Carbon Construction certification.

The Industrial warehouse development at Kingston Park South, Peterborough is part of phase 2 of a wider development. The development consisted of the erection of a large warehouse covering over 44,445m2 which is then subdivided into 3 separate units. The development was brought forwards speculatively with additional external works and auxiliary elements.

The site is located just off junction 3A of Fletton Parkway on the southern edge of Peterborough. The wider development of the industrial park includes development of high quality employment units for owner occupation and letting. The industrial warehouse is constructed in a mixture of precast enclosing concrete prowall around the base of the units and with steel cladding panels positioned above with a domed steel panel roof with roof lighting and PV panels installed.

Internally the majority of the space is taken up as general warehouse space with a polished post-tensioned concrete slab ground floor construction. Each unit also has a small office included within which is constructed of mineral wool insulated British gypsum walls across two storeys with a concrete slab sitting on a steel deck. The Industrial warehouse is connected to a district heat distribution system and is complimented with full cover PV Installed, thus no gas systems are installed on site. The Industrial warehouse has its own external parking area complete with electric vehicle charging stations, cycle stands and LED lighting.

Envision worked with the design team from RIBA stage 4 onwards and offered key services towards this project:

• Held design workshops to ensure alignment on procedures, principles and targets for Net-Zero Carbon Assessment against the UKGBC Net Zero Standard;
• Undertook a Whole-Life Carbon Assessment (WLCA) at the design, which calculated all embodied carbon from the materials used in the development along with construction processes.
• Reviewed design options to reduce embodied carbon to achieve embodied carbon target, whilst acknowledging the stage of design and cost considerations (The primary aim being to drive down embodied carbon through robust material selection, efficient design and specification before offsetting any remaining carbon);
• Lastly, undertook a whole life carbon assessment at practical completion, reflecting final installation and material volumes along with on-site emissions. The carbon to be offset was determined through the whole life carbon assessment undertaken at practical completion.

Envision’s approach was to employ a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing both the upfront carbon emissions and the whole-life carbon impact of both the building itself and the construction process in its entirety. This strategy involved conducting WLCAs at critical points during the project, including the design and post-construction stages, and collaborating closely with the design team throughout the entire process. By utilising OneClick LCA software, multiple LCA models were generated, allowing for a thorough comparison of various design options.

The aim was not only to minimise the environmental impact of the project but also to optimise cost efficiency. By identifying areas for carbon reduction and implementing appropriate measures, Envision was able to reduce the offsetting cost at the end of construction, thereby saving money while also contributing to a more sustainable built environment. This approach aligns well with both Envision’s and Glencar’s commitment to sustainability and responsible design.