Case Study- Houghton-Le-Spring Primary Care Centre A new primary care development at Houghton-Le-Spring achieved a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ at the design stage for best practice in sustainable design and environmental performance for buildings. Breathing Buildings played a crucial part in this via the low-carbon natural ventilation system developed for the project.

PROJECT Houghton-Le-Spring Primary Care Centre LOCATION SECTOR Healthcare FEATURES Consultation, design and implementation of a bespoke, innovative low carbon ventilation system

HISTORY Project began in 2009. Project completed in 2011

Key Message Buildings worked closely with the project team to Breathing Buildings instrumental in Health design and deliver bespoke ventilation equipment. Centre design achieving BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating. The Challenge • To maintain an interior temperature below 25°C Introduction • To provide a low-carbon solution Sunderland Primary Care Trust (PCT) at Houghton-Le-Spring has recently seen the An extremely challenging brief was given by the completion of a development to provide a PCT, stating that the interior temperature is to range of local healthcare services. The building remain below 25°C, for all but 100 hours per year includes large public spaces for a café and in order to ensure patients are kept comfortable waiting areas, in addition to the patient and and in well ventilated conditions at all times. consulting rooms. Traditionally, this would have been achieved Working for the PCT, Breathing Buildings was through the use of mechanical ventilation and asked to develop a design strategy for natural air conditioning. The objective of the design Internal view of thermal wall ventilation particularly of the public areas but team here, however, was to create an innovative, also other spaces within the building. Following low-carbon solution for summer cooling through the completion of this initial stage, Breathing the use of natural ventilation and thermal mass. Breathing Buildings Managing Director Shaun Fitzgerald says:

“We are delighted to have been chosen by Willmott Dixon to ThermalThermal WallWall be involved in this project and to have played a part in the LowLow EnergyEnergy VentilationVentilation SystemSystem achievement of the industry-first Outstanding BREEAM rating.” AA novel novel feature feature of of the the building building is is the the thermal thermal wall wall which which is is used used toto ventilate ventilate the the consultancy consultancy rooms rooms and and open open plan plan waiting waiting areas. areas. TheThe system system uses uses different different strategies strategies for for summer summer and and winter winter toto optimise optimise occupant occupant comfort comfort and and energy energy use. use. Thermal Wall: Low Energy Ventilation System The Solution the cooled shafts are then used to reduce the Breathing Buildings designed a bespoke 50m temperature of the warm outside air which is Thermal Wall long thermal wall, which was constructed brought into the building the following day. SummerSummer ThermalLow Energy Wall Ventilationalong the spine ofSystem the building. This provides A novel feature of the building isventilation the thermal forwall the which consultancy is used rooms as well as In winter, a mixing ventilation strategy is used TheThe thermal thermal wall wall is is used used to to Lowto ventilate Energy the consultancy Ventilation rooms and open planSystem waiting areas. passivelypassively cool cool the the incoming incoming air air the open-plan waiting area and café. The wall involving six Breathing Buildings’ unique e-stack A novelThe feature system of usesthe building different is strategiesthe thermal for wall summer which and is used winter 1.1. During During the the day, day, warm warm air air enters enters and and to ventilateto optimise the consultancy occupant comfortrooms and andis open energysplit plan into use. waiting 49 individual areas. shafts to separate the R Series units within the open plan areas and café. is iscooled cooled by by the the thermal thermal wall wall ventilation for individual spaces and therefore Cold air is bought into the buildings from outside 2. As the air cools it descends down the The system uses different strategies for summer and winter 2. As the air cools it descends down the to optimise occupant comfort and energy use. thermal thermal wall wall reduce the potential for infection transfer. and is diluted with interior warm air within the 3.3. The The cool cool air air enters enters the the space space at at low low level level Summer buildings before it reaches the occupants.

4.4. Warm Warm air air exits exits the the space space at at high-level high-level The thermal wall is used to Natural Ventilation Delivered 5. The thermal wall is ‘recharged’ at night Summerpassively cool the incoming air 5. The thermal wall is ‘recharged’ at night by by drawing drawing cold cold air air down down the the shafts. shafts. In order to optimise both comfort and energy Partnership The thermal1. During wall the isday, used warm to air enters and is cooled by the thermal wall savings, different strategies have been applied Andy Mackintosh, Director at Willmott Dixon, said: ProvidesProvides a a low low energy energy method method of of cooling cooling the the building building in in summer summerpassively cool the incoming air 2. As the air cools it descends down the for summer and winter ventilation. 1. During the thermalday, warm wall air enters and is cooled by the thermal wall 3. The cool air enters the space at low level “Willmott Dixon is delighted how the whole 2. As the air cools it descends down the thermal 4.wall Warm air exits the space at high-level In summer, the thermal wall is used to passively team has worked together to achieve BREEAM WW i ntei nte r r 3. The cool5. air The enters thermal the wallspace is ‘recharged’at low level at night by drawing cold air down the shafts. cool the incoming air. Cold air is drawn down Outstanding. This is the first healthcare project 4. Warm air exits the space at high-level Provides a low energy method of coolingthe the buildingshafts in into summer the wall during the night and in the UK to achieve BREEAM Outstanding.” TheThe warm warm air air within within the the building building 5. The thermal wall is ‘recharged’ at night isis used used to to pre-heat pre-heat the the incoming incoming by drawing cold air down the shafts. coldcold air air Provides a low energy method of cooling the building in summer 1.1. The The thermal thermal wall wall is is closed closed W i nte r Architectural plan 2.2. Cold Cold outside outside air air enters enters the the building building and and is is mixed mixed with with warm warm interior interior air air C afé The warm air within the building 3.3. Warm Warm mixed mixed air air enters enters the the space space W i nteis used rto pre-heat the incoming cold air 4.4. Air Air exits exits the the space space at at high-level high-level The warm air within the building is used 1.to The pre-heat thermal wall the is incomingclosed cold air2. Cold outside air enters the building and is mixed with warm interior air ControlledControlled mixing mixing ventilation ventilation avoids avoids cold cold draughts draughts 1. The thermal wall is closed Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional heat3. Warm required mixed air enters the space Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional2. Cold outside heat air required enters the building Awards for andHoughton is mixed4. Air withexits warm the space interior at high-levelair Terminal Wall 3. Warm mixed air enters the space www.breathingbuildings.co.ukwww.breathingbuildings.co.uk Primary Care4. Air exits theCentre space at high-level Controlled mixing ventilation avoids cold draughts Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional heat required

BREEAM Awards Controlled2012 mixing ventilation avoids cold draughts Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional heat requiredwww.breathingbuildings.co.uk Healthcare Open Plan Area www.breathingbuildings.co.uk Construction Excellent 2012 Reproduced with permission The Legacy Award Sustainability from P&HS architects.

CIBSE North East Building Services Best Practice For More Information Contact Breathing Buildings at:

Breathing Buildings Tel: +44 (0) 1223 450 060 The Courtyard, Fax: +44 (0) 1223 450 061 15 Sturton Street, Email: [email protected] Cambridge CB1 2SN Web: www.breathingbuildings.com

Breathing Buildings Ltd. Registered in and Wales. Registered Office: The Courtyard, 15 Sturton Street, Cambridge, CB1 2SN. Registered No. 05676785