Arts University Bournemouth, Net Zero Carbon arts building

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Europe

Daniel Blood

Senior Project Manager, Southampton contact form

Net zero carbon academic arts building

Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) plans to create an ambitious new net zero carbon (NZC) academic building, as part of its long-term masterplan vision. The university had secured outline planning permission in 2016 for an extension of the south of the campus, to include the new arts building

Pagabo success

AtkinsRéalis was appointed in April 2021, via Pagabo, to take AUB’s project through RIBA Stages 2 and 3 design, including reserved matters planning submission. The university was under pressure to meet the deadline to retain the 2016 outline planning consent, so fast mobilization of a talented multidisciplinary team was needed.

Use of the Pagabo framework meant that we could provide AUB with a swiftly procured trusted supply chain. We introduced a choice of suppliers, via a mini competition which we conducted collaboratively with our client. This produced an excellent team, 92 per cent of whom were local businesses, led by AtkinsRéalis.

Inspired design driven by net zero carbon

The design creates a flagship NZC 8000m² four-story building, central to AUB’s ambition for a more sustainable campus, and encompassing both embodied and operational carbon perspectives.

The north-south orientation optimizes daylighting to the studio spaces while parametric design has been used to control heat loss and solar gain. Extensive testing and modelling has resulted in a compact form factor, renewable energy, air tightness and insulation.

The building’s structure and materials have been selected for their low embodied carbon content and the ability to re-use or re-cycle. A hybrid steel and glulam frame with cross-laminated timber floor planks will form the primary structure, with cladding in locally quarried Portland stone.

Stakeholder engagement to define the scope

We led extensive stakeholder engagement to clarify the scope, holding a series of workshops to explore different needs. This resulted in an optimal proportion of social, teaching and ancillary spaces, and also a phased delivery approach which aligns with the university’s funding strategy.

A top-lit central atrium running the length of the building is key to the natural ventilation strategy and offers a series of break-out and independent study bridges. A ground floor café opens to a courtyard designed to improve biodiversity and provide external social areas. A gallery link intersects the building through the ground floor, for students to showcase their artwork.

Overcoming challenges

Throughout, we supported AUB’s aspiration to plan a stunning NZC building, fulfilling every detail required for the planning process. Thorough exploration of the sustainability options was needed, given that NZC is not regulatorily controlled and standard working practices are relatively new. Our sustainability consultant was therefore invaluable, helping our client and our design team to make informed decisions on the NZC scope and targets, through challenging and advising the design team to provide the lowest whole life carbon solution.

The phasing requirements were complex, as our design (including structural, M&E and landscaping) and cost plans had to align with each of the three phases and allow flexibility for a further development to the south of the site.

Deadline achieved

Our expedited program, executed in collaboration with our design team, ensured that RIBA stages 2 and 3 were successfully concluded in a very constrained timescale, and the reserved matters planning application submitted on time.