Award-winning architects Stride Treglown’s new offices look every inch the environmental masterpiece the company set out to design.
The eye-catching Treglown Court, built on a former industrial site in Cardiff, has a host of state-of-the-art energy saving devices and is topped with a small array of roof mounted photovoltaics.
But what is less visible is the wedge-shaped building’s wooden heart – a biomass pellet boiler providing a low temperature hot water heating system for the offices and a supply of hot water for staff.
The company was determined to design a sustainable building that would set a new benchmark in environmental excellence and approached Forestry Commission Wales for advice and help with the heating.
With the help of a grant from the Commission’s Wood Energy Business Scheme (WEBS), the company installed the biomass boiler to provide an efficient, low-cost heating system for its flagship offices in the Ocean Park area of the city.
WEBS is a £20 million project part-funded with £7.8 million from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government.
Run by FC Wales, it offers capital investment to small and medium enterprises for woodfuel heating systems and processing equipment to develop the sustainable and renewable wood heat market across Wales.
Stride Treglown director Gareth Davies said, “This was the first office in the UK to be awarded the highest BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Outstanding rating at the design stage with an environmental performance certificate rating of A.
“We wanted to see this through and build innovative offices that stood as a fine example of our commitment to support the environment, and the biomass boiler is a key component of this.”
The building, which can accommodate over 50 staff on two floors, was officially opened by Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing.
Treglown Court has already won accolades prior to completion including the BRE Award for Offices at Ecobuild 2010, Green IT Award for Environmental Project of the Year 2010 and UK International Property Awards Architecture Award (Offices) 2010. It has also been awarded Constructing Excellence Wales Demonstration Project Status for its sustainable credentials.
WEBS Programme Manager Mike Pitcher said modern woodfuel heating was a clean, convenient and sustainable form of renewable energy which can fit into most buildings and would have long term benefits for society.
“Using more wood for energy in place of fossil fuels will help us to reduce our CO2 emissions and keep the money we pay for energy in our local economy,” he said.
“That Stride Treglown should choose this method of heating for staff based in their flagship offices is great news and we were delighted to help them achieve their aim.”
For more information on the WEBS grant scheme, see www.forestry.gov.uk/woodenergywales or contact Michelle Brunt on 0300 068 0088, [email protected]
