Greengage supported Aviva Investors in delivering measurable sustainability outcomes at Building 800, Chesterford Research Park, achieving BREEAM Excellent, an EPC A rating and a clear strategy for whole life carbon reduction.
Building 800, Chesterford Research Park is an innovative research and development building offering advanced laboratory and office workspace for biotechnology, pharmaceutical and technology companies. Set within a landscaped setting, the building has been designed to meet existing and future accommodation needs within The Park.
Greengage, Aviva Investors, Hollis Global and the wider design team collaborated at RIBA Stages 1 & 2 to define specific sustainability targets focused on material circularity, energy efficiency and performance of the laboratory spaces, as well as whole life and embodied carbon reduction strategies.
Credit: Limewash
Whole life carbon
A whole life carbon assessment (WLCA) was undertaken by Greengage to demonstrate commitment to reducing the total carbon emissions throughout the building’s entire lifecycle, measuring and monitoring embodied carbon emissions from material extraction through to demolition and disposal.
Between design-focused RIBA stages, Greengage led regular design team meetings to review material comparisons, enabling the specification of low embodied carbon materials while maintaining high fabric performance. Rigorous material scheduling ensured precise and accurate data collection, enabling accurate embodied carbon data capture. As a result, WLCA benchmarking reports were produced at Stage 2, Stage 4 and Post Construction Stage, showing total upfront carbon (modules A1-A5) of 678kgCO2e/m² for the as-built development, significantly ahead of Aviva Investors’ minimum standard.
Building 800 at Chesterford Research Park was awarded a BREEAM Excellent score of 75.1%. At Stage 2, the BREEAM strategy focused on securing early design stage credits through stakeholder engagement and collaboration with the design team. These consultations demonstrate the project’s commitment to delivering a development that responds to community needs and integrates sustainable design principles from the outset.
Energy performance
Design-focused discussions through Greengage-led BREEAM workshops enabled the project team to consider key low and zero carbon technologies and carbon performance credits in detail. As a result, the development installed 400m² of photovoltaic (PV) panels, contributing to a 31% annual operational energy improvement (compared to a CIBSE ‘typical’ building) and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) A rating.
Project outcome
Greengage’s collaborative and rigorous consulting approach delivered outstanding results for Building 800, Chesterford Research Park, achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating, an EPC A rating, and a clear commitment to embodied carbon reduction and biodiversity net gain across the full lifecycle of the development.
