World of water

18/01/2008

Work has begun on this £9 million HQ by Faulkner Brown Architects for Essex & Suffolk Water in Chelmsford, Essex.

The competition-winning scheme, to consolidate the water firms’s offices on a single 4,000sq m site, saw off rivals including BDP and Ryder HKS.

The development is rated “excellent” by Breeam. Sustainable features include a biomass boiler, and water from a nearby reservoir will be used to heat and cool the building.

The north elevation is fully glazed, while the south elevation will be clad in metal and timber, and will have sun shading over windows to minimise solar gain.

The project is due for completion in 2009.

bd - The Architects' Website - www.bdonline.co.uk