Sustainability & Environmental Consulting
Bio Regional
Full Credential Description
Bioregional was appointed by Railpen as the sustainability champions for Socius's two new build schemes in Cambridge: Botanic Place and Devonshire Gardens. The primary challenge was to integrate the highest possible sustainability targets into both projects. Specifically, Botanic Place aimed to become the most energy-efficient and intelligent innovation space in Cambridge. To achieve this, the design incorporated features such as architecture that responds to sunlight and intelligent ventilation systems embedded in the facade.
Bioregional's role involved tracking sustainability commitments made during the planning phase and throughout RIBA Stage 4 of the design process. They actively challenged the design team to consider the most sustainable options for the design, construction, and end use of the buildings. A significant initiative led by Bioregional was a cross-scheme reuse program, which focused on salvaging, reusing, and sharing demolition materials for the new constructions. This included conducting workshops and site walkarounds with the design teams to identify reusable materials and facilitate collaboration.
The impact of these efforts is substantial. Botanic Place is projected to reduce operational energy usage by 70% compared to traditional office buildings. Key design features include a system for overnight heat release to passively cool the building, a reversible heating system that utilizes natural heat sources, and the use of environmentally conscious building materials that leverage thermal mass for temperature regulation. Additionally, approximately 400 solar panels will be installed on the roof to lessen the demand on Cambridge’s power networks.
In terms of material reuse, bricks salvaged from existing buildings on Botanic Place will be transformed into terrazzo tiles for interiors at Devonshire Gardens, while other bricks will be used for a new garden wall at the Flying Pig pub. Trees felled on Devonshire Gardens will be repurposed into furniture or landscape features. Materials that cannot be reused in their original form will be repurposed into new building materials, such as crushed concrete and bricks for piling mats. Bioregional also coordinated the donation of some building elements to charitable causes, further enhancing the social and environmental impact of the projects.