The Enterprise Centre, University of Anglia was presented at the AT Awards live finals on 7 November 2022 at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health to a jury comprising, Nana Biamah-Ofosu, Peter Bishop, Hanif Kara, David Partridge, Simon Allford and Chair Isabel Allen. Read about how the project has stood the test of time, below.

Ampetheatre

The building’s architectural expression reflects a commitment to natural materials. Credit: Hufton and Crow

Completed
2015

The Enterprise Centre (TEC), University of East Anglia, provides space for low-carbon businesses and university students, with open-plan offices, research labs, conference and seminar spaces.

The design team inputted future climate data into a building model to simulate the effect of climate change on the building and assessed the carbon emissions of design options over a 100-year life cycle.

The project uses 70 per cent bio-based materials, including an all timber superstructure (sourced from local forests), achieving less than 500kgCO2/m2 and demonstrating that an ecologically-driven specification can be used effectively in a large-scale context, reducing the need for carbon-intense concrete and steel.

Ampetheatre

Exposed floors, ceilings and walls showcase materials and construction techniques. Credit: Hufton and Crow

A commitment to local craft and materials drove the use of thatch panels, internal reed finishes and Iroko cladding repurposed from old laboratory desks. The project also includes a rainwater harvesting and SUDS system, and increased the biodiversity of a former brownfield industrial site into a welcoming area for wildlife.

The building achieved Passivhaus certification and BREEAM Outstanding, was commended at COP26 as a global exemplar, and was named one of the seven most sustainable buildings in the world by the World Economic Forum.

Buildings.

The project prioritised local materials and skills. Credit: Hufton and Crow

A three-year POE programme to was enshrined in the architect’s appointment. Interventions were made to enhance how the building was used, working with building users to make sure they understood how to get the most out of a Passivhaus building, such as when to open windows and how to optimise M&E systems for the best comfort.

The project achieved 6 DEC ‘A’s in a row, with no performance ga.p from its intended targets. It is one of the few buildings to hit RIBA 2030 non-domestic energy targets, which it achieved despite being completed well before these targets were set.

Ampetheatre