Wessex Water, Bath

When it was completed is was the most energy efficient and sustainable building in the country with the highest BREEAM rating at that time for a commercial office building.

The Project

The client, Bennetts Associates Architects and Buro Happold Consulting Engineers created the most energy efficient and sustainable building in the country with the highest BREEAM rating at that time for a commercial office building. In environmental terms the project was acclaimed by the Building Research Establishment as the ‘greenest’ commercial building in the UK. It stands as an exemplary example of energy efficiency, low embodied energy, recycling including aggregate for the concrete structure and recycled storm and grey water and enhanced biodiversity. 


Building Control

Oculus were pleased to have been part of the team involved with this ground breaking project. Part L Conservation of fuel and power was well exceeded with the team’s sustainable approach. The ‘E’ shaped plan comprised of three stepped wings which hugged the contours of the sloping site. The open plan interior linked by a central ‘street’ created a dynamic space. The exterior made use of different materials including Bath stone. The building was naturally ventilated which greatly reduced its energy consumption with it not requiring air-conditioning.

The building was multi-award winning.


CASE STUDY
Pangbourne College

The new build Harding Communications Centre at Pangbourne College designed by Mitchell Taylor Workshop combines a music school and ICT facility together under one roof and won the Royal Institute of British Architects RIBA South Regional Award 2014. The building was designed to the BREEAM Excellent Standard and uses ‘Passivhaus’ principles with a continuous line of insulation over composite construction. 

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CASE STUDY
Burwalls House

The Burwalls site consists of a substantial historic Grade II listed main house and stable block annex and lies in nearly 5 acres of land adjacent to Brunel’s world famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. The main house is in the Jacobethan style and was constructed in 1872 as a private dwelling by Joseph Leech, a local entrepreneur and owner of the Bristol Times and Mirror.

The site was purchased in 2014 by Kersfield Developments who obtained permission to split the main house into 5 impressive apartments, convert the Stable block in to 2 units and for the construction of 4 new detached dwellings.

The main house has been extended at various points during its history and some of the current works in this sensitive conversion were to remove elements of the more recent additions which are detrimental to the original building.

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CASE STUDY
Tyntesfield

Tyntesfield is a spectacular Victorian Gothic Revival house with gardens, parkland and much more.  It had been the house of the Gibbs family for over 150 years. As the house was inherited by each generation of the Gibbs family, they stamped their own identity on the house and estate with different developments. The 14th June 2002 marked a new beginning for the house and estate when the National Trust announced their new acquisition.  The house was in need of extensive renovation and The National Trust set about re-roofing, re-wiring and re-plumbing the main house and generally improving access for visitor experience. 

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