Buro Happold helps win green award
Carrochan, the new headquarters of the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority, designed by Page & Park Architects and engineered by Buro Happold, has received the Carbon Trust Low Carbon Building Award 2009.
Sustainability was always central to the design, and Buro Happold ensured the lowest possible carbon footprint with structural and building-services design elements.
Andrew Pearson, Buro Happold’s project leader on Carrochan, explains, the design achieves a carbon footprint of 80 t, compared to 200 t for a conventional building and 140 t for current best practice. We are delighted that the scheme has achieved a BREEAM “Excellent” rating.’
The building form was influenced early in the design stage to provide natural ventilation and daylight. Efficient systems were employed such as a reduced background and task-lighting scheme, combined with daylight/presence lighting controls. There is a biomass boiler using local woodchip for heating and hot water. Thermafleece sheep’s wool insulation has been used, and there is a reed bed for sustainable drainage that treats both rain and grey water.
