CSA Architects

BREEAM "Excellent" Office, Redruth

csa have an accredited BREEAM Office Assessor in house, which enables pragmatic design from inception to comply with such requirements.  csa were retained to design a landmark environmental office development, to meet the highest environmental standards. On this basis, this grant assisted scheme had a definitive brief, to achieve a BREEAM "Excellent" rating. This exacating requirement, combined with the local planning authority and regeneration body had aspirations for the building to express it's environmental credentials. The requirement to achieve an "Excellent" rating, dictated that the scheme design had to focus on the reduction of solar overheating, natural ventilation as well as it's own energy generation, as an exemplar environental landmark building. The main feature of this expressive building, is the curved "green" climate wall, which provides natural solar shading and allows a natural ventilation systm to be utilised. Combined with passive stack ventilation ducts on the north, courtyard elevation, the building is able to successfully provide passive ventilation, without the requirement for substantial, energy hungry, ventilation systems. Combined with wind turbines, which provide full energy supply for the building, as well as a landmark visual reference.