Centre for Ecology and Hydrology,
Wallingford, Oxfordshire
The new CEH Laboratory is an extension to NERCS (Natural Environments Research Councils) existing research facility in Wallingford.
The building has been designed up to stage D by Architects RHP Partnership to achieve a BREEAM excellent rating forming an accessible flexible and sustainable solution. Nightingales worked with Moss Construction taking the design from stage D to practical completion. The building expresses a modern design, using a sustainable pallet of materials and includes a number of environmental features including:-
- GGBS (Ground granulated blast furnace slag) concrete is used for the superstructure
- 215mm laid flat concrete blocks are used to form the inner skin of the outer walls of the building, to increase the thermal mass of the building and improving the acoustic characteristics
- The design of the building includes: Western Red Cedar boarding on two thirds of the façade and one third insulated render. Cedar was chosen to lengthen the life of the building
- All the labs were lined with sustainably-sourced ply-boarding
- At least 80% of the external walls and internal partitions achieve an ‘A’ green guide to building specification rating
- Night cooling is provided to the meeting and teaching rooms with a BMS system that is responsive to local climatic changes
- Insulation values are at least 15 percent above current building regulation requirements
- Solar shading is provided on the south façade
- The main working areas of the building include naturally lit laboratory spaces, meeting and teaching rooms around the periphery of the building, with some enjoying views across to the river Thames. They have 4 meter floor to floor hieghts
- The building has been designed with future flexibility in mind with the option of opening lights to the façade
- Rainwater / grey water harvesting is used for toilet flushing.
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