Architype

The Bicester Eco Business Centre commissioned by Cherwell District Council and being constructed by Kier Group is well underway on site.

Forming one of the cornerstones of the new zero-carbon exemplar masterplan of Bicester Eco Town, it will form a significant landmark in ‘the local centre’. When complete, the co-working business-incubator will become the first commercial building in the UK to achieve the Passivhaus Plus standard.

Following planning permission being granted in June 2017, construction began on site in September. With the thermally broken foundations and main structure being completed, progress on site steadily moved towards the thermal external envelope: it was a good time to organise a visit from Oxford Brookes students in collaboration with the Passivhaus Trust. The tour was sponsored by Tarmac through the Passivhaus Student Competition and facilitated by Yogini Patel (Passivhaus Trust) and Hossein Sadeghi-Movahed (Oxford Brookes University).

Project Manager Sam Lewis (Kier Construction) and Project Architect Matt Hayes (Architype) presented the key design and construction strategies being used and the lessons learned from previous Passivhaus projects together.

The building utilises a hybrid construction system combining a concrete frame with timber larsen-truss infill panels, insulated with Warmcel. Breathable walls & non-toxic natural materials are embraced with a view to creating a healthy internal environment with low VOCs.

Despite the strong prevailing winds, students were able to see the principles of the hybrid timber/concrete construction and breathable wall system progressing first hand with a building tour.

The building is due to complete in Autumn 2018 with another tour planned with the Passivhaus Trust and Oxford Brookes students.

For more information on the project, including plans, why not check out our previous blog on Bicester Eco Business Centre

 (note: photographs courtesy of Passivhaus Trust and Architype)