Jehu Project Services

 

132 bed Premier Inn and Retail Outlets, SA1, Swansea

Since it’s creation in 1990, BRE’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has been used to assess the environmental performance of both new and existing buildings. It is the leading and most widely used environmental assessment method and is updated on a regular basis in line with the UK Building Regulations. It is regarded by the UK’s construction and property sectors as the measure of best practice in environmental design and management.

Among many things this assessment method provides clients, designers and developers with market recognition for low environmental impact buildings and is an invaluable tool to help reduce the running costs of the building and improve working and living environments.

BREEAM assessments are carried out for the performance of buildings in the following areas:

  • Management; operational environment and management policies, commissioning procedural issues
  • Health and well-being; due to 90% of our time being spent in buildings the internal, environment of the building is an integral part of our quality of life

  • Energy use; reducing operational energy and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

  • Transport; reducing CO2 emissions in relation to transport to and from the building, location related issues and the implantation of travel plans

  • Water; reducing consumption and efficiency of water used, including efficient appliances (low flush toilets) and recycling, using water butts

  • Materials and Waste; responsibly resourced materials, including life-cycle impacts and use of recycled materials

  • Land use and ecology; careful consideration to the location you plan to build on, is it green field or brown field? Is there danger to any existing ecological features?

  • Pollution; air and water pollution issues, reducing the affects on the ozone layer
 

Early consideration of the issues listed above provides an opportunity for developers and designers to maximise their chances of achieving a high BREEAM rating. Credits are awarded in each area according to performance. A set of environmental weightings then enables the credits to be added together to produce a single overall score. The building is then rated on a scale of PASS, GOOD, VERY GOOD, EXCELLENT or OUTSTANDING and a certificate awarded, this certificate can then be displayed in the building and used for promotional purposes.

 
a. Basic Building Cost - £/m² £1,150/ m²
b. Services Costs - £/m² £260/ m²
c. External Works - £/m² £112/ m²
d. Gross Floor Area - m² 6,012 m²
e. Total area of site - hectares 0.28795 hectares
f. Area of each type of function space - m² 1,567 m²
g. Area of Circulation - m² 913 m²
h. Area of Storage - m² 25 m²
i. Predicted Electricity Consumption kWh/m² TBC
j. Predicted Fossil Fuel Consumption; TBC
k. Predicted Renewable Energy Generation kWh/m² TBC
l. Predicted water use m³/person/year TBC
m. % predicted water use to be provided by rainwater or grey water NIL
n. A basic description of the project and building This development is being constructed on a tight site on the prestigious SA1 development. The building is six storey’s and is constructed on over 900 vibro stone piled foundations, upon which sits a cast insitu reinforced concrete structure to first floor level and then five storeys of timber frame. The building will house a 132 bedroom Premier Inn hotel, a Whitbread Beefeater restaurant and a Tesco Express retail outlet.

When the hotel is completed in October 2010 it will be Wales’ first hotel constructed to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ Standard.
o. The key innovative and low impact design features of the building

The site at SA1 is brownfield land and of very low ecological and environmental value. The design of the new building was also constrained to the building footprint so any local ecological improvement is hard to achieve. The designers took innovative steps to provide a landscaping scheme rich in biodiversity that sits on top of one of the terraces created on the building.

As with all contemporary design, the use of large areas of glazing is a desirable feature especially in areas above street level that afford great views. The SA1 development has a fantastic aspect over The Prince of Wales Dock but excessive glazing can cause overheating of the building in summer. To avoid the use of a cooling system the designers have employed brise soleil and louvers to large areas of south facing glass.

The mechanical extract system used in the building have been designed to extract through the external fabric where possible with a sensitive design that negates any visual impact, avoiding large fan driven ‘whole house’ systems extracting vertically through the building.

All materials used as construction elements and materials used in the finishing of the building including floor finishes, paints and soft furnishings have been responsibly sourced using the ‘Green Guide’ (2007) for Specification. Cycle Parking provisions including changing and drying areas have been designed in to encourage greener transport options.
p. The steps taken during the construction process to reduce environmental impacts The is brownfield land with little or no ecological value. There were no features of ecological importance on the site before construction but the site is adjacent to The Prince of Wales Dock. The Prince of Wales Dock is a large expanse of water that does house a large array of wildlife and supports many others that feed on its inhabitants.

To negate any impact on this feature and the wildlife that lives and feeds in the water, steps have been taken during the construction process to ensure that any surface water run off from the site does not enter the Dock. This has been achieved by introducing a land drain complete with silt trap along the length of the Dock elevation, which is periodically checked and cleaned.
q. Site Waste Management Programme employed Currently it is not a legal requirement for a Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) to be implemented on construction sites in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government intend introducing a new legislation in the Spring of 2010. However with the help of the BRE, Jehu are utilizing the Smartwaste Website to introduce SWMP to all Jehu sites commencing with the SA1 development.
r. Considerate Constructors Scheme The site is registered with Considerate Constructors and Jehu is targeting an excellent rating, to assist in achieving this a seminar is being arranged with the area surveyor to consider ways and means of improving accreditation.
s. A list of any social or economically sustainable measures achieved The development serves to facilitate further development as part of the wider SA1 masterplan. It is part of a broader mixed-use scheme that includes retail, commercial, business, housing and leisure developments. As part of the economic development of the area, this development provides Hotel facilities that are in the heart of SA1 and is linked to more sustainable transport hubs and links. Car parking is not provided on site to promote alternative transport modes and cycle parking provisions including changing and drying areas have been designed in to promote alternative transport modes. The provision of the hotel will help attract and service business in the area.

The retail use within the scheme will service the local population, providing residents with food and convenience supplies. Within SA1 there are 2000 new flats and houses to be built within the overall masterplan so providing amenity within close proximity promotes walking within the site and provides a place where social interaction occurs between residents. The same can be said of the restaurant on site. This too provides a hub within the residential setting that promotes chance encounters and subsequently a sense of community and social sustainability.

 
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