Case Study- Houghton-Le-Spring Primary Care Centre

A new primary care development at Houghton-Le-Spring achieved a BREEAM Outstanding at the design stage for best practice in sustainable design and environmental performance for buildings. Breathing Buildings played a crucial part in this via the low-carbon natural ventilation system developed for the project.

PROJECT LOCATION SECTOR FEATURES HISTORY

Houghton-Le-Spring Primary Care Centre Sunderland Healthcare Consultation, design and implementation of a bespoke, innovative low carbon ventilation system Project began in 2009. Project completed in 2011

Key Message
Breathing Buildings instrumental in Health Centre design achieving BREEAM Outstanding rating.

Buildings worked closely with the project team to design and deliver bespoke ventilation equipment.

The Challenge
To maintain an interior temperature below 25C To provide a low-carbon solution An extremely challenging brief was given by the PCT, stating that the interior temperature is to remain below 25C, for all but 100 hours per year in order to ensure patients are kept comfortable and in well ventilated conditions at all times. Traditionally, this would have been achieved

Introduction
Sunderland Primary Care Trust (PCT) at Houghton-Le-Spring has recently seen the completion of a development to provide a range of local healthcare services. The building includes large public spaces for a caf and waiting areas, in addition to the patient and consulting rooms. Working for the PCT, Breathing Buildings was asked to develop a design strategy for natural
Internal view of thermal wall

through the use of mechanical ventilation and air conditioning. The objective of the design team here, however, was to create an innovative, low-carbon solution for summer cooling through the use of natural ventilation and thermal mass.

ventilation particularly of the public areas but also other spaces within the building. Following the completion of this initial stage, Breathing

Breathing Buildings Managing Director Shaun Fitzgerald says:

Wall Wall gy Ventilation System gy Ventilation System

Thermal Wall: Low Energy Ventilation System

We are delighted to have been chosen by Willmott Dixon to be involved in this project and to have played a part in the achievement of the industry-rst Outstanding BREEAM rating.

building is the thermal wall which is used building is the thermal wall which is used tancy rooms and open plan waiting areas. ltancy rooms and open plan waiting areas.

ent strategies for summer and winter erentstrategies for summer and winter comfort and energy use. comfort and energy use.

The Solution
Breathing Buildings designed a bespoke 50m

the cooled shafts are then used to reduce the temperature of the warm outside air which is brought into the building the following day. In winter, a mixing ventilation strategy is used involving six Breathing Buildings unique e-stack R Series units within the open plan areas and caf. Cold air is bought into the buildings from outside and is diluted with interior warm air within the buildings before it reaches the occupants.

Thermal Wall long thermal wall, which was constructed Low Energy along the spine System Thermal Wall Ventilation of the building. This provides
A novel feature of the building isventilation for the consultancy the thermal wall which is used The system the building is the thermal wall which is used A novel feature of uses different strategies for summer and winter is split into 49 to optimise occupant rooms and open plan waiting areas. to ventilate the consultancy comfort and energy use. individual

air g air

to Energy Ventilation System waiting Lowventilate the consultancy rooms and open planwaiting areas. and caf. The wall the open-plan area

rooms as well as

nd

shafts to separate the spaces and therefore

he the

ww level level

vel evel

ght night s. ts.

Summer Summer

ventilation for individual The system uses different strategies for summer and winter to optimise occupant comfort and energy use.

reduce the potential for infection transfer.

The thermal wall is used to passively cool the incoming air

1. During the day, warm air enters and

Natural Ventilation Delivered

In order to optimise both comfort and energy savings, different strategies have been applied for summer and winter ventilation. Willmott Dixon is delighted how the whole In summer, the thermal wall is used to passively cool the incoming air. Cold air is drawn down the shafts into the wall during the night and team has worked together to achieve BREEAM Outstanding. This is the rst healthcare project in the UK to achieve BREEAM Outstanding.

Partnership
Andy Mackintosh, Director at Willmott Dixon, said:

The thermal wallby the thermal wall is used to is cooled od of cooling the building in summer hod of cooling the building in summer passively cool the incoming air

2. As the air cools it descends down the 1. During thethermal wallair enters and day, warm is cooled by the thermal wall 3. The cool air enters the space at low level 2. As the air cools it descends down the thermal 4. Warm air exits the space at high-level wall 5. The thermal space at low level 3. The cool air enters the wall is recharged at night by drawing cold air down the shafts. 4. Warm air exits the space at high-level 5. The thermal wall is recharged at night by drawing cold air down the shafts.

ding lding ming oming

Provides a low energy method of cooling the building in summer

g r

Winter Winter

Provides a low energy method of cooling the building in summer

Architectural plan Caf

The warm air within the building is used to pre-heat the incoming cold air

The warm air within the building 1. The thermal wall is closed is used to pre-heat the incoming cold air 2. Cold outside air enters the building
and is mixed with warm interior air

1. The thermal wall is closed n avoids cold draughts on avoids cold draughts 3. Warm mixed air ding reduces the amount of additional heat required enters the space ilding reduces the amount of additional heatair enters the building required 2. Cold outside 4. Air exits the space at air and is mixed with warm interior high-level 3. Warm mixed air enters the space 4. Air exits the space at high-level

T erminal Wall

www.breathingbuildings.co.uk www.breathingbuildings.co.uk
Controlled mixing ventilation avoids cold draughts Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional heat required

Controlled mixing ventilation avoids cold draughts www.breathingbuildings.co.uk Recycling heat from the building reduces the amount of additional heat required www.breathingbuildings.co.uk

Open Plan Area

Reproduced with permission from P&HS architects.

For More Information Contact Breathing Buildings at:

Breathing Buildings The Courtyard, 15 Sturton Street, Cambridge CB1 2SN Tel: Fax: Email: Web: +44 (0) 1223 450 060 +44 (0) 1223 450 061 info@breathingbuildings.com www.breathingbuildings.com

Breathing Buildings Ltd. Registered in England and Wales. Registered Ofce: The Courtyard, 15 Sturton Street, Cambridge, CB1 2SN. Registered No. 05676785