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CAMPUS SERVICES | FOCUS: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRUCTION | 33 For more construction in education news go to:
WIN D S
OF CHANG E
Universities are commit ed to strategies to enhance the environment – and are building on these rhetorical foundations. Estates off er a high-profi le way to make their green ambitions concrete and innovate through adventurous new developments. But is the HE sector pioneering enough, or merely recycling proven technologies? Damon Jones fi nds out
"THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FANTASTIC BREEAM HIGHER EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS"
HIGHER EDUCATION'S EXISTING architecture perfectly embodies some of the formidable challenges facing the nation, as it strives to meet carbon reduction targets. Whereas university new builds off er gleaming showcases for novel technology and holistic energy-saving concepts, vintage properties present opportunities for diff erent types of enhancement. Commenting on nationwide green building
trends, McGraw-Hill construction, in a 2013 report, found that: “In the UK, the most signifi cant area for planned green activity is in existing building renovations and retrofi ts, reported by 65% of fi rms…Therefore, there is tremendous opportunity for business benefi ts to come from green building investments.” But this statistic doesn’t diminish the importance
of fl agship constructions, which allow universities to fl aunt their green leanings. McGraw-Hill’s report suggested that 41% of respondents’ fi rms would participate in such builds throughout the ‘institutional’ sector, which includes HEIs. Through accreditations and schemes such as the Green
Gown awards, conscientious constructions can reap kudos, whilst simultaneously delivering budgetary savings during a structure’s lifetime. “There have been some fantastic BREEAM higher educational buildings which have inspirational designs, impeccable sustainability credentials and perform really well for their occupants,” comments Linda McKeown, Head of Communications at the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which administers the widely used environmental assessment method. As exemplars of best practice, McKeown
highlights the BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rated Saw Swee Hock Student Centre (SAW), a new LSE landmark completed this year. “As well as being aesthetically creative and inspirational, it’s a highly sustainable building. It has natural ventilation and cooling systems, maximises daylight, and uses a range of innovative materials in its fabric,” she says. Another up-and coming candidate for plaudits
is the University of East Anglia’s Enterprise centre – set to provide an innovation hub for green businesses and innovations in the region. Designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’
THE
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