Eight Associates have been commissioned to advise Grosvenor on reducing the carbon footprint and minimizing its impact on the natural environment when refurbishing it’s residential, office and retail developments around Belgravia and Mayfair. This advice has taken form as reports, research, presentations and project design reviews. Elliot Carter has presented to groups of Grosvenor Project Managers on the Business Case for Sustainable Homes, and EcoHomes/BREEAM methodology. Eight have also completed Home User Guides for residential refurbishments carried out research on products specified within the developments. An environmental review of the Grosvenor’s base refurbishment specifications has resulted in a strategic improvement to the environmental performance of the Estate.

A large proportion of the work completed for Grosvenor takes the form of the BRE’s EcoHomes assessments for which there is an in-house goal of achieving Very Good on the majority of stock and Excellent where possible. Eight have assessed over 80 individual projects.

Eaton Square is Grosvenor’s most valuable real-estate worldwide and at present there are approximately twenty ongoing refurbishments in the square. These elegant terraced buildings in a classical style are being upgraded so they achieve at least a Very Good under EcoHomes. As well as assessing the projects under EcoHomes, Ei8ht are involved in the integration of native wildlife habitats within the central gardens.

Eight Associates helped the design team comply with a planning condition to achieve a Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 Rating and communicate the sustainable design features effectively to the local council.However, the architect’s concept for the building was to reduce the overall eco-footprint well beyond these minimum requirements using Passivhaus philosophy, and so the scheme is aiming to achieve a Level 5 rating. Eight provided general advice surrounding the Code to enhance an already fundamentally sustainable concept design.

To achieve such high eco-credentials, the house was extensively modelled, reducing its carbon footprint and optimise daylighting levels. New and innovative technologies have been used, including a biomass boiler, powertank thermal stores, evacuated tube solar collectors and an ecoplay greywater recycling system. Materials have been carefully considered for their life cycle impact, such as sourcing of hand-made kent peg tiles using clay from local fields and specification of recycled paper insulation, while the timber frame has enhanced thermal mass due to the use of energain phase change board. Run-off from the site is minimal due to the green roof, permeable landscaping and use of rainwater for watering the vegetable garden.

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The development is a new nine storey residential building in Hackney, which will provide both private and affordable housing. It will be constructed entirely of sustainably sourced timber. On completion it will be the tallest modern timber residential building in the world.

This project has involved advising the design team on how to integrate the EcoHomes (2006) requirements to meet an Excellent/Very Good rating in a cost-effective manner. Recommendations that have been incorporated into the development include energy efficient lighting, cycle storage, water efficient appliances, reduction of construction site impacts and Secured by Design windows and doors. Formal assessment is currently underway, with PDM/Eight Associates playing a co-ordination role within the design team to ensure relevant information is collated efficiently and in requirement with the BRE. 

This supermarket distribution centre is an exemplar project, incorporating many technologies to promote sustainability. There are a range of measures to minimise carbon emissions, including a solar wall to pre-heat air inflow, a combined heat and power plant and the pioneering ‘dragon-power’ system that is installed in the road surface to produce electricity from passing lorries. Other initiatives include a rainwater recycling system for cleaning pallets, a new bus route to reduce employees’ reliance on cars and a stringent construction policy to ensure the environmental performance of on-site activities.

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Success House aimed to provide an exemplary residential development through energy efficient building design and the effective use of sustainable technologies.

Eight Associates provided renewable energy consultancy at outline and detailed design stage. The focus of attention was placed on integrating sustainable technologies according to the London Plan.

A feasibility study was undertaken to weigh up various renewable energy options in a cost-effective manner whilst also considering their environmental return on investment. Recommendations were to provide biomass boiler-led community heating system. At detailed design stage, the sizing of the Broag-Remeha biomass boiler allowed for the calculation of the likely carbon emission reductions, illustrating to Southwark Council that their requirements are met.

Eight Associates helped the design team achieve the UK’s highest ever BREEAM score to date. Crucially, proper dialogue on sustainability amongst the team from concept stage onwards delivered a fundamentally low carbon yet commercially viable design. The building is constructed using a high thermal mass hollow pre- cast concrete panel system allowing air to be passed through the fabric to minimise energy consumption and temperature fluctuations. It is orientated East-West, with a central ‘street’ atrium separating two main blocks with carefully modelled glazing ratios and a green sedum roof. A Combined Cooling and Heating and Power system provides low carbon heat and cooling. Most importantly, Leeds University have been commissioned to undertake post-occupancy monitoring of the building, allowing real performance figures to inform future projects.

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The design team have taken a low energy approach from the outset. The building is earth berm and concrete frame construction to provide high thermal mass and a stable internal environment without significant energy input. Heating/chilled water is fed through the concrete slab after being pre-tempered through subterranean clay pipes to provide supplemental low carbon heating/cooling when required. An atrium roof provides natural daylighting to the centre of the structure. Envelope materials include timber cladding as well as a biodiverse green roof comprising local plant species. Run-off water is to be fed through a reedbed waterway that runs the length of the zoo, providing both a wildlife habit as well as taking pressure off the local sewer system. The carefully located glazing also allow close observation of the surrounding snow leopard and wading bird enclosures from inside.

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Part of the Wembley re-development scheme. Area 1 is a mixed-use development, consisting of residential, retail, hotel and student accommodation. Eight Associates role was to coordinate the BREEAM assessment in order to meet the planning requirement set out by Brent Council.

This involved a multi-faceted coordination and assessment role consisting of: guiding the design team to integrate the BREEAM requirements to meet a Very Good in a cost-effective manner; enabling coordination between members of the design team so as to ensure that the BREEAM requirements are integrated at the relevant design stages; undertaking the formal assessment of the whole site by centralising and collating the BRE’s information requirements and submitting the formal assessment.