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York-based developer William Birch & Sons has just handed over its new flagship building to NHS Kirklees at Bradley, Huddersfield.

The 47,000 sq ft multi-storey building has been contoured into an impressive sloping two acres of a five-acre site at Bradley Business Park.  It will bring together several NHS Kirklees satellite offices that had previously been situated in different parts of Kirklees, thereby improving efficiencies.

The ‘H-shaped’ building provides contemporary office space spread over four floors.  The latest environmentally friendly mechanical and electrical control systems have been incorporated to minimise energy use, along with modern working practices such as hot desking.  The main reception is linked by a bridge to the first floor car park.

The building has been designed by CIBSE low carbon consulting engineers and incorporates passive measures to reduce heating and cooling loads at source including high efficiency glazing and enhanced thermal properties for the remaining structure.  The main heating and cooling system is driven by an air source heat pump that provides efficiency ratios of around 3.5:1, meaning that for every kW of electricity used in the system, 3.5 times the output is achieved compared to conventional boiler plants that are only around 90% efficient.  This leads to reduced running costs and an overall reduced carbon footprint.  The lighting used is high efficiency throughout and the building incorporates an automatic meter reading system to determine where energy is being expended to allow the occupant to review energy use within the building and make changes to their behaviour to reduce consumption.

 

William Birch has registered the building under the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) with a ‘very good’ rating.  This represents an energy-efficient design through the careful selection of sustainable materials and environmentally friendly mechanical and electrical installations.  The company confirmed that more buildings were being registered in this way, and that it was working on several current projects with BREEAM ratings, one of which is the RHS Harlow Carr Learning Centre in Harrogate, which has already received an ‘excellent’ rating.

 

David Henwood, Estates Manager, NHS Kirklees, said:

“This building will enable us to make considerable efficiencies in working practices as well as lower our environmental footprint over the long-term.  We are delighted with the new building’s energy performance and its attractive aspect within the business park and we know that all these factors will contribute towards a more productive, long-term, working environment.”

 

The architect of the new NHS Kirklees headquarters was GHM Rock Townsend of Leeds.

 

Commercial director for William Birch & Sons, David Holden said: “Our commitment to Bradley Park represents an overall investment in excess of £15 million and we are delighted to have secured such a prestigious anchor tenant.  The building’s energy performance in turn sets a precedent for other businesses to follow.”

 

William Birch purchased the land at Bradley Business Park from Kirklees Council in January 2008, and has planning consent for a number of smaller business units, ranging from 1,250 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft, on the remaining three acres.  Founded in 1874 and still family-owned, William Birch & Sons employs around 100 people with a turnover in the region of £23 million.