Landsec is teaming up with energy management giant Schneider Electric to develop what they claim will be the UK’s “first” net zero office in South London, the two firms announced yesterday.
Situated in Bankside, The Forge is envisaged as a “first of its kind” net zero carbon commercial office comprising 140,000 sq ft of space and powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity from 107 on-site solar panels.
The development, which is set to be completed by the end of this year, has been constructed in line with the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) net zero carbon framework, according to Landsec, which said the project would support its commitment to become a net zero carbon business and slash its emissions by 70 per cent by 2030.
Landsec said the office scheme would also be the first to be built using the sustainable construction design framework Platform Design for Manufacture and Assembly techniques (P-DfMA)’, through which the development has achieved a near-25 per cent reduction in embodied carbon during construction.
Schneider Electric, meanwhile, has been working with Landsec on boosting the sustainability and efficiency of the offsite construction process, which has included producing package units for the office’s Building Management System controls.
The building will also use a raft of Schneider Electric’s smart building and energy management solutions to drive down emissions and save on energy bills, they explained. These include enhanced building operation control for facilities managers through its Building Operation system; and use of the EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert, which has been designed to help maximise uptime and operational efficiency, offering insight into electrical system health and energy consumption, the firm said.
The building’s inefficiencies will be assessed through the EcoStruxure Power Advisor and Building Advisor which uses data analytics to monitor and identify faults across the building’s systems, said Schneider Electric. In addition, low-voltage and medium voltage smart products and components are set to be installed, thereby offering full monitoring of energy use and real-time infrastructure and status updates.
“Access to Schneider Electric’s expertise and innovation early in the design process has undoubtedly helped to support our net zero ambitions for this project,” said Neil Pennell, head of design innovation and property solutions at Landsec. “The breadth of the offering will enable us to enhance the occupant experience, operational efficiency, and sustainability credentials of the buildings, which will adapt to the changes in climate and use over time minimising whole life carbon. It is essential that new builds continue to meet climate-related targets at the operational stage, which is why Schneider’s smart building solutions are so critical.”
The Forge has also been selected by Innovate UK, the government’s innovation agency, as a demonstrator project for the Transforming Construction Challenge initiative, in recognition of its design and construction techniques, the firms said.
“The Forge is proof that net zero buildings are possible,” added Kas Mohammed, vice president of digital energy at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland. “Landsec is creating buildings of the future, today. A key element of this is taking intelligent technologies and leveraging the power of smart, clean, and digital electricity – something we call Electricity 4.0 – right from the start. With many companies rapidly running out of time when it comes to net zero targets, I hope the work done by Landsec will provide an inspiration and a path forward for many who are uncertain of where to start.”
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4056553/landsec-schneider-electric-team-develop-net-zero-office-south-london
