Barn 37, Little Boyton Hall Farm, Chelmsford

The first UK New Construction 2018 certified building

Project Details

  • Certificate Number: BREEAM-0078-2573
  • Stage: Final
  • Scheme & Version: New Construction 2018 Industrial
  • Location: Chelmsford, UK
  • Score & Rating: 57.7% Very Good

Project Team

  • Client/Developer: CJH Farming
  • Assessor Company: Hilson Moran Partnership Ltd
  • Contractor: A.C.Bacon Engineering ltd

Why did this building undergo BREEAM Certification

Originally a condition of the planning consent, BREEAM provided the opportunity to create a highly desirable and efficient building that counters any misconception that a shell only industrial unit has limited opportunities to be sustainable. The project reflects CJH Farming’s ambition and enthusiasm for sustainability, with which the project was approached.

 

The BREEAM assessment was a smooth process with excellent collaboration between the Client, the Contractor and us. Sustainability is about more than a certification rating though. Thanks to BREEAM, the team delivered an industrial building with low environmental impact and enhanced ecology. — Olga Koumaditou, BREEAM AP & Assessor, Hilson Moran

 

What benefits does BREEAM give you?

BREEAM was selected as the most robust and well-known certification scheme to ensure best environmental practice was incorporated, despite the limited scale and scope of the project. This environmental certification standard was viewed as an opportunity to create a highly desirable and efficient building, a precedent for the Client’s future projects.

What was done differently as a result of the BREEAM process?

Special consideration was given to the site’s ecology with the appointment of an Ecologist that encouraged
improvement of long term biodiversity for the surrounding land, which aligns with the goals of best practice
sustainable farming.

The existing site before development was lacking biodiversity features because it
consisted largely of hardstanding after clearance of the previous industrial activity in the wider Little Boyton Hall Farm area. Due to the development’s location in the countryside, the appointment of an Ecologist early in design was extremely important to advise on protection and ecological enhancements of the surrounding habitats. A landscape and ecology management plan was produced to secure ongoing monitoring, management and maintenance of the site and its habitats and to ensure intended outcomes of the enhancements are realised over the long term.
The new development benefited from an existing agricultural irrigation reservoir to reduce surface water run-off from directly entering local watercourses and to reduce potable water use.
Responsibly sourced construction materials were of critical importance. The material specification was carefully prepared, especially for ensuring an ethical supply chain. Products of unknown origin were avoided and manufacturers/ suppliers with responsible sourcing certifications (e.g. BES6001, CARES, Eco Reinforcement, FSC/ PEFC/ SFI, ISO 14001) were given preference. All timber and timber-based products (including site timber) were FSC/PEFC certified. The fact that the project was assessed under the BREEAM scheme, material procurement was strictly scrutinized during all stages. On-going consultation between the Main Contractor and the BREEAM AP ensured the targeted performance was achieved. Finally, the BREEAM specifications encouraged the procurement of construction materials and products certified with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) wherever possible.
Low energy LED lighting was installed throughout, while high levels of thermal insulation were used to provide a well-insulated and airtight building fabric in order to reduce energy demand.

After initial reservations about the requirement to undertake the BREEAM Certification the outcome has been worth the extra thought, effort and cost required. BREEAM certification has made me, as the landlord, think and investigate this building project as a whole – not just the construction materials, but the effect on resources, the environment and to ensure it is sustainable in the future. BREEAM certification was recognised by potential tenants; it ensured the building was let quickly, at a good level of rent, in advance of completion. — Chris Philpot, Director, CJH Farming (Client)

 

To enable compliance with the BREEAM standards on a project of this nature, sourcing of suitable materials from compliant suppliers was a key factor. With this in mind, for the largest elements of the project, we elected to use TATA Steel UK Limited sourced steelwork for the structural frame, and Kingspan Limited cladding panels on the roof & walls owing to their ability to achieve credits in 6 of the 10 BREEAM categories and their LPCB fire certification. This was our second project working alongside CJH Farming involving BREEAM. The first project was completed in accordance with the UKNC2014 standards. Although the UKNC 2018 standards are more onerous and required additional input, we were able to draw upon previously collaborated information. — Wesley Baines, Senior Sales Engineer, A.C. Bacon Engineering (Steel Frame & Cladding Contractor)