Excel’s Warmcel insulation – manufactured from 100% recycled newsprint – has helped architect Stride Treglown achieve the UK’s highest ‘Outstanding’ BREEAM rating for its own headquarters building in Cardiff.
The 500m2 structure has received a BREEAM score at design stage of 89.12%, and has been recently opened by Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing.
It is situated on a former industrial development which is being redeveloped into offices, and has achieved a Grade A Energy Performance Certificate rating of 22. Its predicted emissions are just 14.2kgCO2/m2 per annum; a reduction of 55% of the target emissions allowed for under the Building Regulations (31.7kgCO2/m2 per annum).
“We’ve long championed green development,” explained Excel’s managing director, Andrew Izod, “and these days more developers and designers are getting on board. To see such a prestigious architect as Stride Treglown select Warmcel to ensure the green credentials of its own headquarters – and to see them enjoy such a successful BREEAM score – brings us great pride. We’re going to continue developing our green products in line with industry demand and make sure we stay ahead of the competition.”
“The building’s materiality responds to the desire for an exemplar building in sustainability,” commented Gareth Davies, director of Stride Treglown Limited, “minimising energy consumption, waste and providing renewable on site.”
Warmcel offers two distinct environmental advantages for those looking to build green: firstly, it’s made from 100% recycled newsprint and therefore sequesters carbon within a building which would otherwise have been released as methane at landfill (Warmcel has a GWP of -1.9, the best in the market); and secondly it is installed in an airtight manner, ensuring complete void fill and high material density so less energy is allowed to leak out of the building’s fabric.
Warmcel represents a real cost-effective solution to low-carbon construction with less need for expensive offsetting technology.
The BREEAM score was also aided by Stride Treglown’s use of a wood pellet biomass boiler for space and water heating, and a small array of roof mounted photovoltaics.