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Pool Innovation Centre sets excellent environmental
standard
25 August 2009
The £12 million Pool Innovation Centre has just been awarded one
the UK's highest environmental standards for a new building.
Assessors working on behalf of BREEAM , the world's most widely
used environmental assessment method for buildings, have rated Pool
Innovation Centre as 'excellent' in recognition of its green
credentials.
The building, which is under construction, has been designed to
use 60% less energy than a traditional office of the same size. It
will provide high quality office and flexible workspace for new and
growing knowledge and research-based businesses when it opens next
summer.
The BREEAM standard covers many aspects of building construction
and management* and the Centre will incorporate some of the latest
requirements for a sustainable building including how it
contributes to the health and well-being of staff and a reduction
in CO2 emissions from building operations.
The assessment looked at how energy will be produced and used in
Pool Innovation Centre and how the builders have worked to be
considerate of the site's neighbours. It will have a biomass
boiler, excellent insulation, passive ventilation to circulate
fresh air and a window control system, which will all work together
to ensure that the building uses natural heat and ventilation when
possible to maintain a comfortable environment for people.
The construction of the building is also making use of many
local subcontractors and materials with a company from Redruth
responsible for the installation of the wiring, plumbing and
building management system, whilst the groundworks, metal works and
general building works have been undertaken by a number of
companies from Liskeard. It will include British-grown cedar
cladding and Delabole slate.
The Pool Innovation Centre has been developed by a partnership
of Cornwall Council, Cornwall Development Company, the South West
RDA (Regional Development Agency) and CPR Regeneration, the urban
regeneration company for Camborne, Pool and Redruth. The project is
funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Convergence
Programme and the RDA.
Councillor Carolyn Rule, Cabinet Member for Economy and
Regeneration at Cornwall Council, said: "It is great to see the
amount of careful thought that has gone into the development of
this building. We will be appointing the company which will manage
the centre soon and knowing that the building has been designed to
such high environmental standards should help to attract the kind
of start-up and growing businesses that we want to have as tenants
within the Pool Innovation Centre."
Sandra Rothwell, head of regeneration at the South West RDA in
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "This is a great
achievement and underlines the RDA's commitment to lead the
transition to a low carbon economy in our region. The Pool
Innovation Centre is the first of three innovation centres that we
are proposing in Cornwall to give our fledgling businesses the best
possible start in life and we look forward to it opening next
summer."
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office
for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "European Convergence
seeks to ensure that all new buildings it funds achieve 'excellent'
in the BREEAM standard. It is encouraging to see that the Pool
Innovation Centre is fulfilling these challenging criteria. The
environmental impact of the use of this new building by businesses
both now and into the future will be less than that for
conventional buildings."
Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive of CPR Regeneration, said: "This
building shows the kinds of high environmental and design standards
that we are seeking to promote in all developments that are planned
for the area and we look forward to seeing it open for business
next year."
Notes for editors
*The main factors towards getting a BREEAM rating include:
- Good building management
- How the building contributes to the health and well-being of
staff
- A reduction in CO2 emissions from building operations and
transport to and from a building
- Location and access for staff
- Water use and efficiency
- Use of responsibly resourced materials, those with a low
embodied energy and recycled materials
- Best use of the building's location and footprint
- Minimising pollution
The Pool Innovation Centre will be a three storey building with
a net lettable floor space of 2,310m². It will provide high quality
workspace and business support to start-up businesses with
potential for growth. Located on Trevenson Road in Pool it will
cost £11.9 million.
It will consist of 49 offices of five different sizes, six
shared meeting rooms and a conference facility. It has been
designed to provide flexible accommodation with units ranging in
size from 25m² to 90m². To help tenant circulation and networking,
all central services including reception, meeting rooms, conference
facilities, toilets and kitchens will be shared.
The Centre will be managed by Cornwall County Council and is
backed by £9 million of ERDF Convergence investment, and almost £3
million from the South West RDA.
Pool Innovation Centre will use 60% less energy than a
conventional office building thanks to a biomass boiler and natural
ventilation, with 'wind catchers' on the roof to channel fresh air
into the building. Many of the materials are also being sourced
locally, including cedar cladding and Delabole slate.
It has achieved a BREEAM excellent standard for pre-construction
and will achieve the same standard for post construction - one of
the highest levels of environmental accreditation available for new
buildings.
For more information about CPR Regeneration or to arrange an
interview about the Pool Innovation Centre please contact:
Alice West, CPR Regeneration 01209 722013 / 07827 885803
Contact Details
Name Jason Clark
Tel 01208 77900
Email jason.clark@dca-pr.co.uk