Financial Times: Lab space shortage threatens life science boom in Oxford and Cambridge, Aug 2022.. 3.
This lower threshold is only achievable by refurbished buildings and timber structures that account for carbon sequestration and design with ambitious low carbon specifications.. Bryden Wood aspires to design new buildings that achieve at least the good practice thresholds shown in Figure 4 and where feasible deliver best practice performance.In order to be able to meet these aspirations, it is necessary to develop a clear strategy for both embodied and operational carbon..
From LETI: graphic showing the range of performance based on benchmarked projects..Comparison embodied carbon targets from RIBA, LETI and GLA.Achieving net zero operational and embodied carbon with lean design and modern methods of construction.
Bryden Wood’s strategy to achieve net zero carbon building is based on the adoption of a clear hierarchy for operational and embodied carbon..In order to substantially reduce operational carbon, our designs will adopt the following hierarchy:.
Be Lean (passive): minimise the use of energy via passive design measures such as optimised form, orientation and window-to-wall ratio (WWR); design energy efficient facades that incorporate thermal insulation, high airtightness, external shading and solar control glazing; use of natural ventilation and thermal mass and design transitional spaces and low thermal expectation spaces.. Be Lean (active): minimise the use of energy via energy efficient lighting (LED, daylight and presence control sensors) and ventilation systems (demand control ventilation, low SFPs, heat recovery); use technologies such as waste-water heat recovery and specify energy efficient lifts and appliances/equipment.. Be Clean: connect to district heating networks that have plans for decarbonisation; explore plans and feasibility of local hydrogen district networks.. Be Green: use onsite low and zero carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps (ASHP), ground source heat pumps (GSHP), photovoltaic panels, solar collectors for domestic hot water and wind generation among others.. Be Smart: implement innovative technologies such as electric batteries, heat storage, post-occupancy evaluation and develop smart-metering systems..
Offset: any remaining carbon should be offset via Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) or recognised carbon offset schemes.by Dr Grant Mills from UCL, and involving Bryden Wood Director Steven Tilkin, incorporated Bryden Wood’s innovative work in platform design (P-DfMA).
The project was quite far advanced when the pandemic hit, and the timing was particularly pertinent, occurring just as hospital construction began recognising the need to look at other processes, such as offsite construction, standardisation and moving to scale of production.The project research focused on an interesting sectoral comparison between the clean room environment of operating theatres in hospitals, and the modules of a spacecraft.
As spacecraft are created offsite and have similar ventilation issues to operating theatres, there were learnings to be made from the way material procurement is handled in the space industry.The project has since influenced further work with London’s Moorfields hospital.. Construction nomenclature and standards: from Modern Methods of Construction to BIM and Platform Design, it’s all in the name..