The Enterprise Centre

The Enterprise Centre at The University of East Anglia, acclaimed as the UK's greenest building, exemplifies sustainable design through its use of natural materials and energy-efficient construction, achieving Passivhaus and BREEAM outstanding. It fosters new sustainable businesses and innovative research, providing world-class facilities and support for graduate startups and the wider knowledge economy.

Location

Norwich, UK

Area

3,400 m2

Status

Completed

Year

2015

Client

University of East Anglia and The Adapt Low Carbon Group

The building aims to encourage new sustainable businesses from graduates who emerge from UEA's academic research programmes and those involved in activities within the wider Norwich Research Park.

The Enterprise Centre provides space for business support workshops, networking activities, open plan offices, incubation and hatchery space (research and development activities) for new graduate start-up companies and other businesses in the Knowledge Economy. The building also provides a base for business support through the University’s Low Carbon MBA and associated graduate development and entrepreneurship programmes operated by the Norwich Business School.

The Enterprise Centre has been delivered using a forward thinking 'Single Point Delivery' (SPD) form of contract for all work stages (based on NEC3), that promotes collaborative working practice, with main contractor Morgan Sindall as the Single Point Deliverer.

To meet the requirements of the brief, Architype designed the building to meet a 100 year design life, Passivhaus certification and BREEAM Outstanding. The building exceeded the local planning requirement for 10% of the building’s energy to be from renewables through the use of roof mounted PVs. Embodied carbon was a major focus at design stage. The design is well above Best Practice, with embodied carbon (including sequestration) between 1/5 and 1/4 of many new university buildings.

Architype, in a team led by main contractor Morgan Sindall, won the OJEU advertised design competition because their entry not only demonstrated that the many exacting sustainability criteria had been fulfilled, but also because they had designed a striking and beautiful piece of architecture that was well conceived as part of a larger masterplan.

John French, CEO, Project Director, ADAPT Low Carbon Group

How we are building on 40 years of innovation to address the challenges of the future

Architype

What have we learned in 40 plus years of practice?

Architype Beyond 40

Going beyond circularity in building design

Circular Economy

How do we break down barriers to deliver imaginative circular economy solutions?

Transitioning to a Circular Economy

Vision

All vision

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We have a proven track-record in delivering natural low-impact materials as part of mainstream solutions.

Innovating with Natural Materials

Natural Materials

How can natural, low-impact materials be effectively integrated into projects?

Innovative use of thatch

The Enterprise Centre reinvents the traditional craft of thatching as a modern regenerative building material.

Timber-based materials

The majority of the building is made from timber or cellulose – with a timber glulam frame of beams and columns, supporting floors of timber I-joists and walls of studwork.

The project brief called for a radical approach to material use, prioritising bio-based and locally sourced materials to create a building that truly celebrates its place in East Anglia.

Design

Landscaping is a critical component of our scheme. We have reinforced the link with the historic gardens of Earlham Hall, retained many of the existing landscape features, including the beech hedge, and incorporated new landscape features such as the central courtyard, an echo of other adjacent courtyards, featuring a beautiful flint SUDs bed surrounding the main lecture theatre. The building has become a key element in the University’s estate master plan.

The concept comprises a new building and landscape that is an exemplar of low embodied energy and carbon construction technologies, through the use and visual celebration of natural and bio-renewable materials sourced through local supply chains. The Enterprise Centre is a recognised centre of excellence at a European level, providing world-class facilities through its sustainable design and use of materials.

The building is wonderful and seems to be gaining enthusiastic responses from those who are using it. Congratulations on delivering for us so effectively.

Marie Francis OBE, Chair of Incrops and Centre for Built Environment.

Expertise

Local sourcing of materials

The team worked hard to source local materials where possible to reduce transport costs, embodied carbon, and support the local economy.

Embedding design quality processes

The early stages of the DQI process were fundamental in establishing the client's priorities and aspirations for the new building and surrounding grounds.

Optimising performance and handover

Soft Landings was adopted at the Enterprise Centre to provide a graduated handover and the highest standard of building aftercare. A small dedicated Soft Landings budget was allocated that had a big impact - enabling the buildings performance to be fine-tuned after completion in a collaborative non-adversarial manner.

The power of collaborative working

A structured approach to effective engagement underpinned the success of the project, alongside the whole team's thorough commitment to collaborative working.

Shading design for climate resilience

Architype undertook a design study at The Enterprise Centre to establish the optimal level of shading to optimise internal comfort.

Simulating future climate scenarios

Localised future climate data was generated for the project by the University of East Anglia Climate Team to help identify the most robust design solution over an 87 year period.