Project Background

Set within the Hereford Enterprise Zone, Architype has brought innovation to a successful manufacturing company called TRP Sealing Systems.

Replacing the existing building, the new flagship scheme aims to dramatically improve the energy efficiency of the factory and create a Passivhaus office, giving additional credibility to their future exemplary global headquarters. The factory goes beyond promoting the company and the local area, to act as a precedent for future projects designated on the Enterprise Zone.

Design Response

The ideas explored during the feasibility study have evolved to succinctly capture the factory's ‘process driven design’, where the architecture is driven by the manufacturing steps, to aid and improve the overall efficiency of production, business operation and energy use.

These principles are apparent within the design and have heavily informed the orientation, massing, and structural layout of the main factory building and office accommodation. A two building solution has emerged acknowledging the need for a distinct difference in environmental building requirements for the separate uses: factory and office administration.

Design Drivers / Factory Building

High levels of heat generated during manufacturing of the rubber seals presented the challenge of expelling the excess heat; which generally creates an unhealthy temperature to work in.

Contrary to the norm in the UK, the design driver has focused on enabling a quick extraction of heat from the manufacturing process, which was achieved through a rationalised linear plan. Key specialists were brought in to analyse where energy was being lost in the manufacturing process in order to achieve a more efficient design.

Using our comprehensive understanding of building physics, a solution has been conceived that mitigates against solar gain by providing sufficient insulation and minimises south facing glazing. The building fabric therefore acts as a shelter rather than an airtight envelope. Dispersed daylight is provided by large north facing windows.

We have future proofed the design; a regular arrangement of equally sized and spaced structural bays allows for future expansion of the building without disrupting ongoing production.

Design Drivers / Office Building

The design of the office building was based around human comfort factors to accommodate the administrative staff and customer services. The design has been driven by the client's need to minimise energy consumption, achieve passive solar gain and provide well-ventilated spaces to create a comfortable working environment. Appropriate to these requirements, Architype recommended building to the rigorous Passivhaus standard. As part of the Enterprise Zone development, new projects in the zone are required to meet BREEAM Very Good or equivalent, to which the Passivhaus standards exceeds. The marginal increase in capital costs for insulation, higher performance windows, achieving airtightness and mechanical ventilation, is far outweighed by the savings from installing a smaller heating system, eliminating underfloor heating, simpler controls and no requirement for renewables.

Designed correctly, incorporating Passivhaus is cost neutral when compared to a building built to Building Regulations/ BREEAM Very Good standard and continues to offer ongoing savings of reduced running costs.