Green build NEWS

A £3.85m BREEAM Excellent teaching facility has been completed at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) campus in Epsom, Surrey.

Constructed on a brownfield site within the University’s Ashley Road campus, the new three-storey building contains teaching and resource facilities, as well as an auditorium which can seat 200 and a digital media centre. A skylight allows natural light to fall on the feature staircase which dominates the interior of the building.

Contractor Leadbitter achieved the BREEAM Excellent rating by ensuring that more than 20% of the building’s power is generated via renewable energy, with photovoltaic cells being used to produce electricity and solar thermal panels to heat water. Rainwater is also harvested in underground tanks for use in toilet flushing.

Externally, the building envelope is covered in Trespa panel rainscreen cladding, which offers longevity and requires minimal cleaning. Patterned solar shading on the main facade features LED lighting with a control system that allows the building management to change the colour of the lights. The block is topped by a sedum roof designed to attract local flora and fauna, further enhancing sustainability and biodiversity.

David Cook, regional director of Leadbitter’s Southern Construction and Housing division, said: “We hope that the new teaching block will provide an inspirational environment for both staff and students in the years to come and will prove an invaluable resource as the University continues to grow.
Over 80% of the total project’s funding has been granted through the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

The University for the Creative Arts has campuses in Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester and is one of Europe’s largest specialist universities of art, design, architecture, media and communication.

These founder campuses were established during the 19th century, making the BREEAM rating for UCA, Epsom a modern milestone in the university’s history.