In order to meet net-zero energy, the small solar array on the top of the building will need to be enlarged — an interesting compromise, as some of the green roof will need to be removed. The building is heated with a biomass boiler located in the basement that feeds an in-floor heating system. Even sink water is reused for the toilets with a point-of-use greywater reclamation system.
All of this adds up to a 55% reduction in carbon emissions from code (yes, they even have a building code for that). The BREEAM Outstanding certificate was awarded even before 90% of the design phase was complete and is the highest level attainable by the green building system. The certification can be revisited after full occupation of the building.
WHY THIS MATTERS
High-performance buildings need to have a clear strategy at the beginning of the design phase in order to be successful. Stride Treglown’s success stems from the way they developed a fully integrated design by committing to energy performance from the start — they only added renewable energy when the design accounted for energy consumption.
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