Watkins Payne carried out the Independent Design Reviewer role for Block A at The Soapworks development, comprising two new buildings alongside the restoration of the Grade II-listed former soap factory in Bristol. The Block A development works consists of a new build office over ground to fifth floor with the option for retail units at lower ground level.
A formal review was conducted at Stage 4 with the design successfully achieving a Design Reviewed Target Rating of 5.0 Stars.
The exposed services strategy implemented at Fortess Grove compliments the industrial nature of the building. Cycling facilities are provided along with showers and lockers at ground floor level accessed directly from the rear of the building along Railey Mews. The development achieved a WiredScore certification of ‘Gold’ and a B rated Energy Performance Certification.
The building Africa House along Kingsway near Holborn Station has been refurbished to offer 119,297ft² of high quality office accommodation, for which Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering, vertical transportation engineering, BREEAM duties and energy consultancy to achieve an EPC C rating.
St James’s Market Phase 2 is the “pioneer” related to the Design for Performance initiative and NABERS UK rating.
The refurbishment of 53 Great Suffolk Street in London involved the transformation of a historic warehouse into a contemporary office space. This project focused on preserving the building’s industrial character while introducing modern amenities and sustainable features.
Sustainability initiatives include LED lighting with occupancy detection and daylight dimming controls, solar thermal hot water heating, air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels, resulting in an EPC rating of A and a Very Good rating under BREEAM New Construction (Industrial) 2014.
The carbon neutral status was achieved by exemplary as-built air tightness facade solar and thermal performance significantly in excess of the Building Regulations requirements, highly energy efficient M&E systems, LED lighting and photovoltaic panel arrays on the roof of the warehouse.