Bourn Building, Coventry
Client: IM Properties
Our Approach
The brief
Originally an old HMRC building, the six-storey, multi-let office underwent a £9m refurbishment – transforming into a premium Grade A commercial space for modern, forward-thinking businesses.
CPW were brought in to complete a full M&E strip out and replacement. Sustainability, community, and wellbeing were at the heart of the brief. During the design stage, collaborative spaces were embedded throughout the 91,897 sq ft net zero ready building and the project team ensured sustainable transport was supported via the provision of a cycle hub and EV charging points.
Early tenant consideration also led to a better understanding of the end-user's current and future sustainability requirements, which aligned with the project’s ‘smart’ objective. The MEP services were therefore designed from the outset with integration in mind, incorporating the Smart Spaces software. This innovative occupier app manages and consistently gathers feedback on energy and waste data, and communicates building-wide events to foster community and wellbeing.
Air quality is constantly monitored, and natural light maximised with an abundance of indoor plants to promote biophilia.
Smart capability
In order to design and deliver a ‘smart’ enabled building, our team identified several systems – such as BMS (trend IQ vision), lighting control, access control, and car charging – that would need to be BACnet compatible and could operate on a cloud-based system.
A dedicated, high-speed, dual-entry fibre ethernet infrastructure wi-fi system was therefore installed, which will also help future-proof businesses in an increasingly digital environment.
The main driver for a ‘smart’ system was the ability to monitor and reduce energy usage. Data is key, so each floor has been split into two tenants, which share a common core but are individually sub-metered. The output is then reported to the trend system, notifying the building operator if any out-of-range energy usage values are recorded.
The Smart Spaces app is also able to monitor the lighting control occupancy sensors, recognising when tenant spaces are empty and appropriately utilising natural daylight whenever possible. Air quality sensors have also been installed so the vent can respond accordingly, with VAV boxes able to shut down individual portions.
Reduce, refurbish, recycle
Another key component of this project was the choice to refurbish rather than rebuild.
As a result, the decision to refurbish reduced circa 14,000 tCO2e – compared to a like-for-like new build – and waste was significantly minimised, with a 97% diversion of materials from landfill, by implementing sustainable construction methods.
The CPW team also delivered an all-electric energy strategy with low carbon heating and 425m2 solar PV array. Located on the car port roof deck, the solar PV panels offset a considerable portion of the building’s electrical demand, help to significantly displace incoming, grid-supplied electricity and reduce dependence on fossil fuel primary energy.
Net zero ready
EPC A rating
BREEAM Very Good
16 EV charging points with provision for 46 more in the future
Advanced BMS system
Nominated for Recycled/Refurbished Space category at 2024 BCO Awards
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Imagery courtesy of IM properties