From the outset the scheme has been designed as an exemplar sustainable building which will demonstrate the University’s Ecoversity commitment.  At the heart of the scheme is the ambition to create a highly sustainable low energy building that will incorporate inventive design, innovative materials with low embodied energy, sustainable technologies and ecological enhancements.

Part of the brief was to use the building as an educational tool through the expression of materials, systems, technologies and structure.  The South facing elevation is designed with a twin skin glass wall with a full height open space between each skin to harness heat gains for the winter.  Solar flues are a feature of the southern facade to enhance the natural ventilation/cooling.  The flues create an enhanced stack effect which draws air from each of the open plan floors creating a natural flow of air to ventilate and cool the rooms.  The building is to be constructed from thermally ‘heavy weight’ materials to create high levels of thermal mass that will help to moderate temperature fluctuations internally.