Welsh Assembly receives BRE award

RRP's new Assembly building in Cardiff Bay receives the Building Research Establishment's (BRE) highest award for sustainable building construction.

Press release:

RRP's new Assembly building in Cardiff Bay receives the Building Research Establishment's (BRE) highest award for sustainable building construction.

The building, designed by RRP, BDSP Partnership and Arup and constructed by Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd, was awarded a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ Rating as being in the very highest category of sustainable building.

The award recognises the low environmental impact that the building has achieved through careful use of renewable and low energy solutions to construct, heat and maintain the building. The building's score is the highest ever achieved by a BREEAM Assessed Development in Wales.

Finance Minister, Sue Essex received the award [27 January 2006] from the Director of BRE, David Crowhurst.

Receiving the award, Welsh Assembly Government Finance Minister, Sue Essex said: "I am delighted that this landmark project has been recognised as being at the cutting edge of sustainable design and construction. Sustainability is at the heart of Welsh Assembly Government policies. We are committed to setting an example to both the private and public sectors and demonstrating that buildings can be designed to achieve long term savings in running costs and emissions."

Director of BRE , Crowhurst said, “An Excellent rating is not easy to achieve. The whole team working on this project has contributed, including the client, the designers and main contractors, Taylor Woodrow Construction, who managed a very successful site.”

Richard Rogers stated today: "I am delighted that The National Assembly building has been recognised as an exemplar of environmental design - we responded enthusiastically to the requirement for a building that maximises natural daylight and ventilation to reduce energy usage - winning BRE's highest award is very gratifying."

Managing Director of Taylor Woodrow Construction, Tim Peach, said, “We are pleased and very proud to be associated with the Welsh Assembly project which meets the challenge of achieving the highest sustainability standards, including a BREEAM Excellent rating, but within a carefully managed commercial context. Sustainable design and construction techniques are always high on the agenda for Taylor Woodrow. Our experiences at Cardiff clearly demonstrate what can be achieved through working with an integrated team of client, contractor and designers and provide us with considerable knowledge and experience to take to other projects.”

Notes:

Sustainability is at the heart of Welsh Assembly Government policy and this was reflected in the building's design brief requirements with sustainability incorporated as a fundamental criteria. The design requirements were:

• "Excellent" rating under the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
• Design Life of 100 Years
• Use of indigenous materials
• Minimise energy consumption and waste
• Application of renewable technologies
• To be “exemplar” in terms of sustainability

In order to meet these requirements the main contractor and their design team undertook the following three-step approach:

• Reduce demand for resources (energy, water and materials)
• Where demand remains, aim to utilise sustainable and renewable technologies.
• Cover any outstanding demand with highly efficient technologies

A holistic approach was taken to the design by the design team, and the following diagram shows what measures have been incorporated into the new Assembly Building, making sustainability the “heart and lungs” of the building.