Sustainability Ambitions
HLM Architects
Sustainable Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes and Masterplanning practice with a Thoughtful Design ethos at its heart
Universities face a huge task to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the operation, maintenance and construction of buildings whilst creating sustainable bio-diverse, flood and drought-resilient places. The vast range of estates and buildings on University campuses can make this a daunting proposition but it is an opportunity not to be missed.
Energy efficiency should be seen as a major resource in the context of local and national efforts to achieve sustainability targets and in creating more equitable and just communities. Developing a better understanding of existing estates creates opportunities to improve their energy efficiency.
The first step to creating effective and sustainable estates is to understand the existing portfolio and how it can be better optimised and adapted to best support academic and research vision. This comes from the detailed study of buildings to understand their condition, capacity, fitness for purpose, utilisation and energy performance. Often, the best solutions are those which need no new buildings at all but instead propose careful adaptation, reuse and retrofitting to supply modern, hybrid work environments, comfortable, adaptable teaching spaces or resilient, energy efficient laboratories.
Any presumption that a new building is the solution should always be challenged. The right solution will ultimately be a cost benefit analysis but one that must ensue non-financial costs and benefits are factored in to capture for example, improved health and wellbeing of occupants. Our in-house sustainability team work alongside our designers to advise on strategic and detailed interventions.
Once the decision has been made to reuse an asset, then a programme of deep retrofit works should be planned, designed and constructed to the highest possible standards. PAS 2038 provides a framework for the retrofitting of non-domestic buildings, and the Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) and EnerPHit (published by the PassivHaus Institue) provide standards and targets for designing, testing, installing and inspecting retrofit projects. By insisting on these standards and defining ambitious targets, universities can lead the way in a retrofit revolution.
Directly reducing energy demand lowers energy bills and saves money, something that has never been more important than now, amid ever-rising energy prices. Indirectly, creating a market for improving the fabric performance of our existing building stock - through a programme of deep retrofit works - creates jobs and benefits the local economy.
Lincoln University, Medical School
The new medical school will be the most sustainable building on the Lincoln University campus. Designed to meet the BREEAM Excellent Envrionmental standard, it features photovoltaic panels to generate electricity of the laboratories as part of its aspiration to be a carbon neutral scheme.
The ￡21m facility will deliver comprehensive teaching facilities, lecture theatres, clinical suites, a dedicated science library and mock consultations rooms, enabling medical students to explore the latest technology developments in healthcare. Woven through the building are social areas, group study and learning spaces to promote positive student interaction and wellbeing.
London Institute of Healthcare Engineering, King's College London
The London Institute of Healthcare Engineering (LIHE) for King's College London forms part of the MedTech Innovation District and is located on the Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital site. Sited between two Grade II Listed buildings and adjacent to two Grade I World Heritage buildings - the Houses of Parliament and Lambeth Place. Our highly contextualized contemporary design response received unanimous Planning support and has helped breathe new life into a semi-utilized portion of the estate.
This is an example of how sympathetically inserted building interventions can be the catalyst for regeneration.
"LIHE is a significant project for King's, establishing a new MedTech Hub at Guy's and St Thomas'. HLM have taken the academic sponsor's initial vision to create a centre for collaboration and innovation between the University, commercial and research partners and the NHS. HLM Architects worked closely with both the academic cohort and the estates team to understand the detailed brief and translate it into a really high quality piece of architecture."
Simon Myles, Associate Director - King's College London
Keele University, Innovation Centre 7
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Underpinning the principles of the New Keele Deal, this project will create a world-leading Digital Innovation Centre that promotes Keele University as a regional hub supporting digital business, knowledge and innovation.
Occupying a prominent site on the Keele University Science and Innovation Park, the 4,500 sq m building will provide a home and a showcase for the University's world-leading research and teaching on digital themes and technology, acting as a demonstrator for Smart Energy, Cities and Transport and promoting the campuses' sustainability aspirations.
Boyd Orr Remodelling, University of Glasgow
HLM have been delivering architectural design services on the University's consultant's framework since 2015 with projects including the design of a new ￡45m learning and teaching hub that provides shared teaching and social learning spaces for all faculties. Clyde Waterfront Innovation Campus, a new modular temporary maths and stats department and data centre.
As part of the work HLM have remodelled the Boyd Orr building which sits at the heart of the campus and is one of the most heavily utilised buildings on the university estate, accommodating over 2,800 students.
Designed as an overflow teaching building in 1964 the 12 storey tower block houses lecture theatres, offices and seminar rooms in an uncompromising brutalist design. However, the building required significant repairs and internal spaces were becoming outdated and inflexible. HLM's designs have refurbished the building internally and externally to bring it up to modern teaching standards and prolong the buildings lifespan.
This article is a snippet from our new University Estates brochure, follow this link to download a copy and find out how we're making better places.
Find out more about how we work with Universities on strategic plans for the future of their estates and campuses, contact our Head of Education, Claire Wakelin.
Thoughtful design and the desire to make spaces and places that improve lives sits at the heart of everything we do.
Get in touch via the links below, and find out more about the work we're doing to make better places.