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York eco depot

White, C. A.

Authors

C. A. White



Other Type Other
Publication Date Jan 1, 2006
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1041893
Additional Information Additional Information : White was principal designer for the Eco Depot £8m building for York City Council, completed in 2006 and accommodating the Council's Neighbourhood Services Directorate. It aims to be an exemplar of sustainable design, construction and operation using Glue-laminated frames and super-insulated straw-filled modular building panels with a lime render. Use of �Modcell' panels, developed by White Design in collaboration with Modcell Ltd, extends their earlier application in the UWE Studios building, output 1 above, applying them to what is Europe's largest timber-frame, straw clad building. The straw panels were manufactured at a nearby farm minimizing transportation and using local materials and labour. They exemplify use of �non-food crops' in construction and achieve u-values 3 times higher than building regulations require. Hydraulic lime render and plaster provides internal and external wall covering. Non-conventional building materials were combined with on-site assembly of modular units exemplifying �Modern Methods of Construction'. The building itself has low embodied energy and high thermal mass. Energy provision combines photovoltaic panels, wind turbine and solar thermal panels providing hot water. It also incorporates real-time monitoring of energy use which has itself been shown to reduce usage. Rainwater is harvested for grey-water use internally and washing council vehicles. The structure is designed to demonstrate the construction materials and structure and the principles of sustainability and energy provision in practice to the buildings users. The building has secured a 76% reduction in energy use compared with a conventional, air-conditioned office, reduced energy cost per sq m from £40 to £5 and will save 155 tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum in running costs. The project won a 2007 Gold Award from The Green Organisation in the Built Environment category.


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