Project Brief
The development comprised the design and construction of two steel portal frame industrial units for Lancashire County Council, which required a BREEAM “Very Good” certification.
Carbon Neutral Design
We worked in close partnership with Sustainability Built using specialist software which enabled the design team to make informed decisions on the material selection, its impact on the carbon output and other environmental implications of the project.
Solution
Due to previous uses, there was a significant amount of buried structure, infrastructure and backfilled excavations across the site. The variable ground conditions created a requirement for existing buried drainage lines to be bridged.
It was decided to dynamically compact the ground across the site to provide a strong and consistent platform. The benefits of this solution included, minimal material removed from site, excavation for foundations was kept to a minimum, saving time on site. Reduced quantity of imported stone for the construction platform, was controlled to a minimum depth, with positive environmental impact
Cost Saving
The steel structures, with composite concrete slab mezzanines were designed using Masterseries in close collaboration with the Architect and fabricator to provide an efficient design which minimised the steel tonnage and limited waste.
All drainage runs into the existing drainage lines through the plot and direct the site surface water to a local watercourse. To prevent surcharging the existing drainage lines, surface water attenuation with flow restrictors were incorporated to the drainage scheme. Petrol interceptors were also included to prevent pollution being discharged into the local watercourse.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) software was used to measure carbon output using the Revit model.
Adept’s input and BIM capabilities to produce a federated 3D model was therefore critical to perform this task and achieve sustainability KPIs.
At key stages in the design, concept and detail, the design team met with the sustainability consultant to review all elements of the project to discuss the current LCA output and identify potential improvements to reduce the carbon and environmental impact.
Unforeseen Challenges
Due to the restrictions imposed on the supply chain from Covid19, no lose bar steel reinforcement could be brought to site or fixed. Adept worked proactively to redesign the foundations to use mesh reinforcement which increased the depth of concrete in places, but benefitted from:
• Reduced quantity of steel on site
• Reduced number of skilled workers
• Allowed construction to continue under government regulations without further delay
