Hoare Lea - Latest News

Cowley Language College wins LABC Award for Best Sustainable Development

2010-09-07T10:08:54+00:00

Cowley Language College, St Helens, has won the Best Sustainable Development category at the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) North West Awards for Building Excellence.

Cowley Language College is a comprehensive school with Language College status. Designed by the Robinson Group, the new-build project comprises a three-storey building for up to 1800 people. The building was provided with a comprehensive fire engineering strategy, including voice sounders, to safeguard occupants and allow maximum value engineering savings to be achieved. Construction of the building was accompanied by a redevelopment of the existing site to improve facilities for pupils and the local community.

Hoare Lea Fire was a key member of the design team, responsible for providing a fire safety strategy to safeguard lives and provide property protection, while minimising design and construction costs.
Other Hoare Lea projects commended by the judges at the LABC North West Awards include Sir William Stainer School in the Best Educational Development category and Kingsway, Lancaster, which was commended in the Best Large Housing Development category.

Cowley Language College wins LABC Award for Best Sustainable Development

2010-09-07T10:03:58+00:00

Cowley Language College, St Helens, has won the Best Sustainable Development category at the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) North West Awards for Building Excellence.

Cowley Language College is a comprehensive school with Language College status. Designed by the Robinson Group, the new-build project comprises a three-storey building for up to 1800 people. The building was provided with a comprehensive fire engineering strategy, including voice sounders, to safeguard occupants and allow maximum value engineering savings to be achieved. Construction of the building was accompanied by a redevelopment of the existing site to improve facilities for pupils and the local community.

Hoare Lea Fire was a key member of the design team, responsible for providing a fire safety strategy to safeguard lives and provide property protection, while minimising design and construction costs.

Other Hoare Lea projects commended by the judges at the LABC North West Awards include Sir William Stainer School in the Best Educational Development category and Kingsway, Lancaster, which was commended in the Best Large Housing Development category.

Chips wins RIBA North West Award

2010-09-07T09:57:18+00:00

Chips, Manchester, a prestigious residential apartment building constructed by Urban Splash and designed by Alsop Architects, has won a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award, with specific commendations for the external façade.

Hoare Lea was involved in designing and modelling the smoke ventilation system for the scheme, using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling. This avoided the need to alter the external façade to accommodate external louvers, which would have affected the aesthetics.

Chips offers a mixture of commercial and residential space, comprising 142 flats over nine storeys within the New Islington development. This design acts as a flagship for the regeneration of the area, which is still under development.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the project.

Chips wins RIBA North West Award

2010-09-07T09:52:09+00:00

Chips, Manchester, a prestigious residential apartment building constructed by Urban Splash and designed by Alsop Architects, has won a Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) award, with specific commendations for the external façade.

Hoare Lea was involved in designing and modelling the smoke ventilation system for the scheme, using state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics modelling. This avoided the need to alter the external façade to accommodate external louvers, which would have affected the aesthetics.

Chips offers a mixture of commercial and residential space, comprising 142 flats over nine storeys within the New Islington development. This design acts as a flagship for the regeneration of the area, which is still under development.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the project.

Bristol Heart Institute wins at the South West Built Environment Awards

2010-08-25T08:12:56+00:00

Client: Coda Architects
Architect: United Bristol Healthcare Trust

Laing O’Rourke Wales & West won the ‘Value’ category at Constructing Excellence’s, South West Built Environment Awards on 11 June 2010 for the Bristol Heart Institute, a £53 million specialist cardiac hospital in Bristol. Laing O’Rourke was also Highly Commended in the ‘Integration & Collaborative Working’ category.

Hoare Lea was appointed by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (formally United Bristol Healthcare Trust) together with Laing O’Rourke, as part of the Trust’s preferred supply chain. Hoare Lea’s role included mechanical, electrical and public health engineering consultancy and specialist fire engineering services. The building was designed to NHS EnCode standards and achieved a B in its Energy Performance Certificate rating.

The project, delivered under the NHS ProCure21 framework, was recognised for making use of excellent existing clinical services on a very demanding and congested 45 degree sloping site, in order to produce a world-class model of care. The scheme comprises two blocks connected by a central atrium with underfloor heating. It incorporates 14,000m2 of acute medical facilities over five levels and included four state-of-the-art catheter labs and a hybrid catheter/cardiac surgery theatre.

Nine regional Constructing Excellence Awards ceremonies will take place across the UK during 2010. These will culminate in a national final in London in November.

For more information on the awards go to http://www.buildsw.org.uk/winners

Paragraph four courtesy of Laing O’Rourke.

Bristol Heart Institute wins at the South West Built Environment Awards

2010-08-25T08:06:31+00:00

Laing O’Rourke Wales & West won the ‘Value’ category at Constructing Excellence’s, South West Built Environment Awards on 11 June 2010 for the Bristol Heart Institute, a £53 million specialist cardiac hospital in Bristol. Laing O’Rourke was also Highly Commended in the ‘Integration & Collaborative Working’ category.

Hoare Lea was appointed by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (formally United Bristol Healthcare Trust) together with Laing O’Rourke, as part of the Trust’s preferred supply chain. Hoare Lea’s role included mechanical, electrical and public health engineering consultancy and specialist fire engineering services. The building was designed to NHS EnCode standards and achieved a B in its Energy Performance Certificate rating.

The project, delivered under the NHS ProCure21 framework, was recognised for making use of excellent existing clinical services on a very demanding and congested 45 degree sloping site, in order to produce a world-class model of care. The scheme comprises two blocks connected by a central atrium with underfloor heating. It incorporates 14,000m2 of acute medical facilities over five levels and included four state-of-the-art catheter labs and a hybrid catheter/cardiac surgery theatre.

Nine regional Constructing Excellence Awards ceremonies will take place across the UK during 2010. These will culminate in a national final in London in November.

For more information on the awards go to http://www.buildsw.org.uk/winners

Paragraph four courtesy of Laing O’Rourke.

Creaming off Cash? The value of good school design

2010-08-24T16:06:49+00:00

Podcast – 30 July 2010

Education secretary Michael Gove has long been quoted as an opponent of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, accusing architects of “creaming off cash which should have been going out to the front line”.

In the context of the government’s controversial decision to end the £55 billion schools rebuilding programme, New London Architecture (NLA) invited design professionals to take part in a breakfast speedtalk and discuss what value good design brings to school environments. How can the profession justify investment in good design? And, since the scrapping of BSF, how can good design be better facilitated?

Mark Wilkinson, Associate, Hoare Lea, contributed to the discussion (17 minutes in) on the link below.

www.newlondonarchitecture.org

Podcast and copy courtesy of World Architecture News and New London Architecture.

Creaming off Cash? The value of good school design

2010-08-24T16:00:00+00:00

Engineering Management - New Legislation and Regulations

2010-08-23T15:18:50+00:00

The property sector is facing unprecedented amounts of legislation relating to energy efficiency and reductions in CO2 emissions. Not surprisingly, landlords and building managers are struggling to keep up.

The Government focus has recently shifted from new build to the existing built environment, with legislation imposing carbon taxes on a building’s CO2 emissions.

The Carbon Reduction Commitment
The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme commenced on 1 April 2010. This is a UK climate change and energy saving scheme designed to generate awareness in large organisations, especially at senior level, and to drive changes in behaviour and infrastructure.

Organisations that use more than 6,000MWh of energy are captured by the Carbon Reduction Commitment and must purchase carbon credits valued at £12 per tonne of CO2 emitted.

Hoare Lea Engineering Management (HLEM) can offer technical advice about how to run and maintain engineering systems, meet performance commitments and expectations, comply with legislation, deal with change, manage information and undertake forward planning.

Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations in 2010
The 2010 revisions to Part L of the Building Regulations were published on 30 April 2010. Four new approved documents and two compliance guides were issued to replace the current versions from October 2010, subject to the transitional arrangements.

The compliance guides have been extensively revised and their scope widened to provide improved guidance, setting out the minimum energy efficiency standards and the commissioning and performance test requirements for fixed building services.

HLEM can offer advice on the impact of the new Part L on refurbishment of existing buildings – helping to minimise risk and the cost associated with refurbishment.

F-Gas Regulations
The EC Regulation on Ozone Depleting Substances (2037/2000) applies to the manufacture and use of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. The regulations introduced a ban on the use of virgin Refrigerant R22 from 1 January 2010 and a ban on the use of Refrigerant R22 (including recycled R22) from 1 January 2015.

HLEM can provide the technical advice necessary to help manage the replacement of cooling equipment (chillers) that fall under the F-Gas Regulations.

For more information contact

IPD module approved and new apppointments for Engineering Management

2010-08-23T15:07:26+00:00

Hoare Lea has gained approval for its IPD operational engineering module from the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). This will allow our younger engineers to develop the skills necessary to ensure Hoare Lea continues to meet client needs in the decades ahead.

Hoare Lea's Engineering Management Group has also recently been appointed to provide:

• the Carbon Reduction Commitment strategy for a large college in Cambridge

• the Green Building Strategy for an office campus in Abu Dhabi

• engineering systems analysis for carbon reductions of a large city portfolio

• the preparation of maintenance strategies for a selection of railway stations in the Middle East

• environmental audits for a large European commercial building portfolio

• independent validation of fixed building services for a major new prison

• a major plant replacement programme for a London West End theatre group.

For more information contact

(CIBSE Journal) Sustainability without the hot water?

2010-08-11T15:00:11+00:00

Combined heat and power solutions or heat pumps – which are the key to delivering low carbon services? A Cambridge professor and author of a book on ‘sustainability without the hot air’ has cast doubt on the efficacy of CHP. But, says Huw Blackwell, is this the whole story?

For the full article, click on the link below:

http://www.cibsejournal.com/issues/2010-08/sustainability-without-the-hot-water

(CIBSE Journal) Engineering’s 100mph lifestyle

2010-08-11T14:51:52+00:00

Living life in the fast lane comes with the territory in the Middle East, explains Hoare Lea’s Andrew Morris...

(Lighting) Mind-altering light

2010-08-11T14:03:05+00:00

Office spaces don’t always lend themselves to spectacular lighting design, but after groundbreaking research into the effect light has on our mood, office lighting is taking a far more interesting turn. Lighting looks at one of the largest dynamic lighting projects in Britain

These are exciting times. The development of LED technology has put a renewed focus on the science behind lighting, and we’re demanding more from luminaires in terms of both quality and efficiency. It’s perhaps fitting, then, that global pharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca took this one step further with a dynamic lighting concept that works with the biology of the human body.

For full article go to:

http://www.lighting.co.uk/projects/mind-altering-light/8602247.article

Mariner’s Quay wins at Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards 2010

2010-07-28T09:56:17+00:00

Mariner’s Quay, Newport, won the Low/Zero Carbon category at the Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards held on 2 July 2010 at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff.

Mariner's Quay is a development of 101 affordable housing units located in one of the most deprived areas of Wales.

Hoare Lea acted as MEP consulting engineers, with Hoare Lea Sustainability providing additional specialist advice. Hoare Lea Sustainability also acted as Code Assessors to the Code Level 5 (Code for Sustainable Homes) scheme (one of the largest of its kind in Wales and part of a Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) pilot project).

Mariner's Quay is at the forefront of implementation of Site Waste Management Plans, Energy and CO2/emissions reporting. A total of 12,000 m3 of waste will be generated by the end of the project; so far around 88 percent of it has been diverted from landfill whilst over 60 percent has been re-used on site. The energy usage at Mariner’s Quay is monitored daily; this includes reading all statutory meters to keep an accurate account of the amount of energy being used; the data is then analysed to find the peaks and troughs of energy use.

The Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards celebrate success and commitment to collaborative working in the construction industry.

For more information go to:

http://www.cewales.org.uk/awards/

Paragraph 4 reproduced by kind permission of Constructing Excellence in Wales.

Mariner’s Quay wins at Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards 2010

2010-07-28T09:40:34+00:00

Mariner's Quay, Newport
Low/Zero Carbon Category

Client: Fairlake Properties (Part of the Seren Group)
Architect: Powell Dobson
D&B Contractor: Leadbitter

Mariner’s Quay, Newport, won the Low/Zero Carbon category at the Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards held on 2 July 2010 at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff.

Mariner's Quay is a development of 101 affordable housing units located in one of the most deprived areas of Wales.

Hoare Lea acted as MEP consulting engineers, with Hoare Lea Sustainability providing additional specialist advice. Hoare Lea Sustainability also acted as Code Assessors to the Code Level 5 (Code for Sustainable Homes) scheme (one of the largest of its kind in Wales and part of a Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) pilot project).

Mariner's Quay is at the forefront of implementation of Site Waste Management Plans, Energy and CO2/emissions reporting. A total of 12,000 m3 of waste will be generated by the end of the project; so far around 88 percent of it has been diverted from landfill whilst over 60 percent has been re-used on site. The energy usage at Mariner’s Quay is monitored daily; this includes reading all statutory meters to keep an accurate account of the amount of energy being used; the data is then analysed to find the peaks and troughs of energy use.

The Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards celebrate success and commitment to collaborative working in the construction industry.

For more information go to:

http://www.cewales.org.uk/awards/

Paragraph 4 reproduced by kind permission of Constructing Excellence in Wales.

Hoare Lea appointed to Chobham Academy

2010-07-12T08:52:47+00:00

Hoare Lea has been appointed by BAM to provide MEP services to assist with the completion of design and construction of the £32 million Chobham Academy.

Designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris architects, the 15000m2 Chobham Academy is located within the Athletes’ Village, which lies adjacent to the Olympic Park. During the Olympic and Paralympic Games it will be used to provide space for support facilities.

After the Games, Chobham Academy will be used as an education campus providing integrated facilities for children from three to eighteen years. The Academy’s specialism has been defined as Literature and the Performing Arts and community music and drama facilities will be located on the new public square.

The project is targeting a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating. Key features include natural ventilation, site wide energy integration and earth ducts. Chobham Academy is due for completion in summer 2011.

BREEAM Wales Awards 2010

2010-06-29T10:43:45+00:00

Ceredigion County Council Offices
Winner of the 2010 BREEAM Award Wales Category: Offices Award

Client: Ceredigion County Council
Architect: Powell Dobson

Ceredigion County Council's new office building, Canolfan Rheidol, Aberystwyth, has won the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) Wales 2010 Offices Award. BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de facto measure used to describe a building's environmental performance.

The Canolfan Rheidol building, constructed to the east of Aberystwyth town centre, provides a high quality, sustainable working environment for more than 410 Ceredigion County Council employees.

The BREEAM 'Excellent' objective was set by Ceredigion County Council in line with its targets and Welsh Assembly Government guidance on sustainable development objectives for future public buildings in Wales. The Canolfan Rheidol building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating with a score of 73.70%.

Hoare Lea carried out MEP design services, together with acoustic and refrigeration duties for the development.

Text (paragraphs 1, 2, 3 & 4) reproduced by kind permission of Ceredigion County Council.

Ceredigion’s County Council office wins BREEAM Award

2010-06-29T08:20:16+00:00

Ceredigion County Council's new office building, Canolfan Rheidol, Aberystwyth, has won the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) Wales 2010 Offices Award. BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable design and has become the de facto measure used to describe a building's environmental performance.

The Canolfan Rheidol building, constructed to the east of Aberystwyth town centre, provides a high quality, sustainable working environment for more than 410 Ceredigion County Council employees.

The BREEAM 'Excellent' objective was set by Ceredigion County Council in line with its targets and Welsh Assembly Government guidance on sustainable development objectives for future public buildings in Wales. The Canolfan Rheidol building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating with a score of 73.70%.

Hoare Lea carried out MEP design services, together with acoustic and refrigeration duties for the development.

Text (paragraphs 1, 2, 3 & 4) reproduced by kind permission of Ceredigion County Council.

Phoenix Heights wins at RIAI Irish Architecture Awards 2010

2010-06-25T11:23:03+00:00

Phoenix Heights, Mastmaker Road, Docklands, London
Best Overseas Award 2010

Phoenix House, Mastmaker Road, London won the ‘Best Overseas Award 2010’ category at the Irish Architecture Awards held on 21 June 2010. The ‘Best Overseas Award’ is a new category which reflects the extensive high quality work that Irish architects are doing internationally.

Phoenix Heights comprises two residential towers of 20 and 17 storeys and four low-rise blocks located over a basement car park. It includes 199 mixed-tenure homes, gardens, communal courtyard areas, and a community centre with a football pitch and a café retail unit. The development is connected to an existing off-site energy centre, the Barkantine CHP District Heating Centre.

Hoare Lea carried out MEP (Stages C, D and E design), fire engineering and vertical transportation duties.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the project.

Full details and images of all the winning projects are available on: http://www.irisharchitectureawards.ie.

Phoenix Heights wins at RIAI Irish Architecture Awards 2010

2010-06-25T11:19:23+00:00

Phoenix Heights, Mastmaker Road, Docklands, London
Best Overseas Award 2010

Client: Ballymore
Architect: Brady Mallalieu

Phoenix House, Mastmaker Road, London won the ‘Best Overseas Award 2010’ category at the Irish Architecture Awards held on 21 June 2010. The ‘Best Overseas Award’ is a new category which reflects the extensive high quality work that Irish architects are doing internationally.

Phoenix Heights comprises two residential towers of 20 and 17 storeys and four low-rise blocks located over a basement car park. It includes 199 mixed-tenure homes, gardens, communal courtyard areas, and a community centre with a football pitch and a café retail unit. The development is connected to an existing off-site energy centre, the Barkantine CHP District Heating Centre.

Hoare Lea carried out MEP (Stages C, D and E design), fire engineering and vertical transportation duties.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the project.

Full details and images of all the winning projects are available on: http://www.irisharchitectureawards.ie.