Colmore Gate is a landmark development in the heart of Birmingham. The existing building consists of 16 floors with two basement floors over a podium and tower section constructed in the mid-1990s.
We have been working with the design team to extend and refurbish the building to provide 23 floors of office accommodation in the tower and 9 floors in the podium section, totalling approx. 315,000ft2 NIA. As part of the refurbishment, the existing VAV air handling system will be removed and replaced with an air source heat pump system with on-floor heat recovery units to provide comfort cooling, heating, and ventilation. Additionally the building will benefit from a building and energy management systems, high-efficiency LED lighting and controls.
The project ethos revolves around a core carbon principle of retaining existing structure and foundations and working within that constraint to provide new and exciting office space.
As the Sustainability Consultant on the project we are targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Core Platinum, ActiveScore Platinum and RESET certified to maximise the scheme’s sustainability credentials. We are also completing a whole life carbon and circular economy assessment to see that we are maximising re-use and aiming to identify further reductions in carbon where possible.
In addition the building is subject to the Design for Performance approach with the aim to achieve a 5 Star NABERS UK rating. The building is projected to deliver an ‘A’ EPC rating.
The building’s planning application was submitted to Birmingham City Council in August 2023, and we provided all the necessary supporting documentation, including the sustainability statement and energy strategy.
We are looking forward to our continued involvement in the project, pending positive planning feedback.
A wealth of experience in exposed services projects has enabled Watkins Payne to provide the highest level specification for the refurbishment of over 50,000ft² of office space at 101 New Cavendish Street in London.
5 Broadgate is a new 12 story building next to Liverpool Street station in London which offer 700,000ft² of high quality office accommodation. This is the new headquarters for the Union Bank of Switzerland housing office and trading floors. Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering, BREEAM duties and energy consultancy to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and an EPC A rating.
Watkins Payne reviewed a number of mechanical and electrical options with the team, focusing on retention of key central plant, overhaul and replacement of plant where required, and LED lighting to reduce energy and improve the office environment.
Michael Faraday House IET, Stevenage. A Sustainable Building Refurbishment.
The mixed use development comprises two office buildings totalling 530,000ft² of high quality office accommodation together with a 162 unit residential scheme consisting of a 26 storey private apartment tower and affordable housing building. The scheme also includes retail units and a community arts facility. 10 Brock Street is the larger of the office buildings and Watkins Payne supplied building services engineering, vertical transportation engineering, BREEAM duties and energy consultancy to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and an EPC B rating.
1000 Hillswood Park is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’, EPC target of ‘A’ and a NABERS UK Design Reviewed Target Rating of 5.0 Stars.