Welsh Government building wins Welsh BREEAM award
The recently completed Welsh Assembly Government building at Llandudno Junction has received the 2010 BREEAM Award for Wales in the bespoke category. Rated as the greenest public building in Wales, it achieved a score of 75.80. It was designed by Austin-Smith Lord. As well as the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, the building achieved an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate — higher than the original B expectation.
Technologies incorporated into the building include natural ventilation and exposed concrete slabs to provide passive cooling and negate the need for conventional air conditioning. Electronically controlled louvre windows prevent excessive solar gain, and a fully automated BMS regulates, monitors and analyses all the building’s services systems.
The outdoor energy centre includes a biomass boiler burning locally sourced wood chips to provide underfloor heating and hot water. Rainwater is harvested for grey-water provision. An ornamental pool is designed to help cool the building, and there is native planting to encourage wildlife — particularly bumble bees.
