TWI Granta Park

Granta Park is a partnership between TWI and BioMed Realty Trust, Inc. offering a purpose-built Science Park covering 120 acres. Launched in 1997, Granta Park is home to World-leading companies as well as offering smaller office and R&D/laboratory space.

TWI is one of the world’s foremost independent research and technology organisations, with expertise in materials joining and engineering processes. Project Reform focuses on TWI’s ambition to transform parts of its estate at Granta Park to enable the company to deliver its core business operations and maintain its headquarters, whilst consolidating operations to reflect changing working patterns post Covid -19.

The proposals involved a new masterplan, which focused on retaining existing high quality buildings, whilst redeveloping certain existing buildings to attract new tenants. All within an enhanced landscape setting. The objective was to provide renewed facilities which place wellbeing and environmental efficiency at the heart of its design. 

With a site of just under 10 hectares, Envision has worked closely with TWI to define the sustainability strategy for the estate up to the submission of an outline planning application which was approved in January 2024. The scheme delivers a total footprint across the entire TWI estate of over 64,000 sqm of floorspace for offices, laboratories, training facilities and workshops, in a high-quality design led by Hawkins Brown and managed by No6 Developments.

Envision provided a multi – disciplinary team to provide a coordinated sustainability strategy for the scheme. Our support included MEP feasibility to review the site’s existing buildings and the opportunity to move away from gas led systems to more efficient heat pump led solutions.

Envision developed the sustainability objectives for the project, the operational energy assessment, the BREEAM certification strategy and the water neutrality strategy.

The team worked closely with officers in South Cambridgeshire, as well as the Design Review Panel to justify the redevelopment proposals. Through the application’s determination various challenges emerged, including the concern with water scarcity restricting decisions on new development floorspace within the region. Envision demonstrated by calculation that the proposed development following its new floorspace strategy would implement water efficiency measures in both its new and existing buildings, such that it could continue to operate within existing water use levels. This would be achievable through high levels of water efficiency and rainwater capture and re-use.