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THE DISCOVERY CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE
Despite the lengthy delays and overspend, The DISC has had high praise since its opening
FACTFILE: CONTRACTORS
General contractor: Mace Group External special glazing: Permasteelisa; Scheldebouw Internal doors: TRIA; AEL Internal special glazing: Zueblin Concrete works: Byrne Bros
ground source heating and cooling system. It’s heated and cooled via a ground source heat pump, with four hybrid cooling towers and 174 boreholes used to both provide and store natural geothermal energy. The heat pump saves enough energy to provide power to 2,500 homes. When the building requires more energy for heating or cooling than can be provided by the ground, there are boilers and chillers installed that use 100% biomethane and renewable electricity. The centre also has high levels of insulation, low-energy ventilation and utilises harvested rainwater to fl ush the toilets. The sawtooth roof design reduces the reliance on artifi cial lighting by allowing ample natural daylight in, while also minimising solar gain. Construction waste was kept to a minimum and the material choices were also driven by their sustainability credentials.
The DISC also makes use of modern technology, including smart building technology, LED lighting and daylight- linked controls for the blinds and curtains. It’s also home to the most advanced robotics, AI-driven technology and high- throughput screening.
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Worth the wait
Despite the lengthy delays and overspend, the DISC has had high praise since its opening. The building is currently running at a lower energy consumption than predicted by the design, and through close monitoring and controlling of the heat pump’s activity the company hopes to reduce its energy usage even further. Project contractor Mace reports that it has previously found on buildings of this scale that it takes around 12 months before science activities are ‘activated’ post- completion, but at the DISC it took only six days.
Throughout construction the team worked closely with the scientists and end users who would be working in the building, showing them round at various stages of the project, introducing to the building and its spaces and making changes where necessary to ensure it was as ready as possible to go fully online at completion. Collaboration, the key aim for this building from the start, has proven essential not only for the AstraZeneca’s R&D work past and future, but also for the success of the project itself.
ADF MAY 2025
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