Category: Sustainability

Commissioned by the Scottish Government to produce a new set of design details to demonstrate how improved levels of insulation, air tightness and reduced thermal bridging can be achieved using typical building construction types. These accredited details were adopted by the Scottish Buildings Standards Agency as a reference for sustainable detailing.

Designed to maximise daylight and natural ventilation and incorporate then new sustainable technologies such as a 100kw wind turbine, biomass boilers and rainwater harvesting. Initial investment in sustainable technologies was repaid within 4-years of opening through savings in running costs.

Incorporating sustainable timber frame construction (including recycled telegraph poles), on-site wind turbine, a biomass boiler, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting, this was the first school to meet Glasgow City Council’s new Environment Strategy requirements. A dedicated eco classroom space provides a focal point for outdoor environmental and sustainability learning projects.

New regional office for the Welsh Government rated as one of the greenest public buildings in the UK at time of construction. The building features locally sourced materials, thermal mass to avoid the need for air conditioning, high-level discharge stacks to provide natural ventilation, a biomass boiler (with local fuel source) and rainwater harvesting. BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and A-rated energy performance.

Scotland’s first major distillery in decades was also the most sustainable; pioneering the integration of sustainable technology and design principles that has inspired the subsequent wave of new distillery projects. The BREEAM Excellent facility benefits from natural light and ventilation and significantly reduced the carbon footprint of the distillation process with byproducts recycled in an on-site bio-energy to self-generate power and heat recovery from the 14 stills further reducing emissions.

Publicly accessible, purpose-built archive housing the City of Leeds Museum collections within five precisely controlled atmospheric zones. High mass construction provides a passive, environmentally stable internal condition which reduces airborne humidity through hydrostatic pressure. Constructed on remediated brownfield site an on-site recycling strategy was adopted to reduce waste.

Awarded a CEEQUAL score of 94.6% (Excellent) for the sustainable masterplan, detailed design and implementation of this business and industry park in an archeologically and ecologically sensitive location; the highest CEEQUAL score ever awarded at that time. The landscape scheme resulted in a 65% increase in wildlife habitat and zero net loss of biodiversity, no materials were removed from site and local, Welsh materials were used to reduce travel distances and maintain local character.

A development of 32 houses designed for Ayrshire Housing and awarded the inaugural Roses Sustainable Communities Design Award. Built on an exposed site the built form is designed to create positive microclimates, provide shelter and minimise heat loss.

An experimental housing design expo for modern inner city living as part of Glasgow 1999 UK City of Architecture & Design. One of the first projects to incorporate then pioneering technologies such as photovoltaics, heat pumps, recycled aggregate, adaptable lifetime homes and enhanced thermal insulation.

Creation of a Country Park and extension of the Mersey Forest on a reclaimed former colliery site. Developed in close consultation with the community the Park provides meadows within the woodland, footpaths, bridleways, play area and a new fishing lake. The ecology of remodelled shale heaps was rejuvenated with new growing medium restored with treated sewage sludge cake from the nearby RIBA Award winning Shell Green processing plant, also designed by Austin-Smith:Lord.