Back     Latest news from Green Building Press    Subscribe to our newsletter

Nottingham sustainable office seminar a success

Posted: 25/07/2008

Construction professionals across the region met in Nottingham recently to discuss the viability of creating sustainable buildings in today’s highly challenging commercial property market. The seminar ‘Can sustainability really stack up?’ was hosted jointly by East Midlands Development Agency (emda), East Midlands Centre for Constructing the Built Environment (EMCBE) and Loughborough-based contractor and developer William Davis Ltd.

Over 100 industry professionals attended the event, which showcased one of the William Davis eco office developments at Chetwynd Business Park, Chilwell, Nottingham.

William Davis has designed and constructed two speculative ‘eco offices’ on the final phase of this award-winning £20m business park development and each has attained a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, a level which only a handful of schemes have achieved this year throughout the country.

The BREEAM rating measures the energy and environmental efficiency of the building ensuring the premises are highly sustainable. The William Davis offices are naturally cool and passively ventilated and feature biomass wood pellet solid fuel boilers, rainwater harvesting for WC flushing and shower facilities, cycle parking and storage for recyclable waste together with high frequency energy efficient lighting with daylight sensors.

William Davis invited professionals from across the property spectrum to an open-house inspection of one of the offices, together with the chance to discuss themes presented at the eco seminar designed to highlight the conscientious design of the project and how all aspects of sustainability can be incorporated viably and economically into the build. Experts from emda, EMCBE, Maber Architects, Scott Wilson, Arup and Savills also presented on the subject.

Dave Camp, commercial director, William Davis said: “Over recent years much of the focus on sustainable buildings has been directed towards the residential market. The fact that so many people have shown an interest in today’s seminar demonstrates that the development of sustainable commercial buildings is very much at the forefront of people’s minds.

“What we have achieved here at Chetwynd is a working example of how sustainable and low energy demand commercial buildings can be provided in the speculative office market. What we have learned from this process will serve as a stepping stone and will give us a practical template to take forward into future schemes.”

Co host Chris Ward-Brown, emda’s construction policy advisor, added: “Developing best practice which meets the highest standards of design and building, improved environmental performance and energy efficiency is vital to the region's sustained success. This event has highlighted the commitment and ability of the industry to achieve this here in the East Midlands.”

Green Building Press  
 

Back     Latest news from Green Building Press    Subscribe to our newsletter

2575