We are pleased to announce that the Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre project completed by Robert Woodhead has achieved BREEAM* Excellent with a score of 74%. Furthermore Hicks Lodge is the first visitor centre to achieve BREEAM Excellent.
Alan Dowell from the Forestry Commission comments, “As far as I am aware, Hicks Lodge is the first to receive BREEAM Excellent using the BREEAM Bespoke Standard for Visitor Centres, 2008 and is the first new build on Forestry Commission land that has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating. This is great news and sets the standard for future projects being commissioned by us. Thanks go to Robert Woodhead’s and Pick Everard Architects for a project that really does set a great example of what can be achieved,”
Robert Woodhead, in conjunction with Pick Everard Architects, was aiming for BREEAM Excellent for the Hicks Lodge development. Utilising sustainable timber throughout, solar panels, a biomass boiler, a sustainable urban drainage (SUD) system in an airtight structure, were all design elements which made a significant contribution to sustainable development principles.
The BREEAM Excellent achievement was further helped by the Post-Construction Energy Performance Certificate for Hicks Lodge achieved an ‘A Ratings’. Robert Woodhead’s aimed to achieve a good rating for energy performance and the exceptional air tightness of the building, as well as the materials used for construction and the design itself helped enable this.
Craig Pygall of Robert Woodhead said, “We are very pleased that Hicks Lodge has been awarded BREEAM Excellent. The project was designed and built to BREEAM Excellent standards but until the building is assessed and you are awarded the BREEAM Rating you cannot be sure you’ve achieved it. The project is a brilliant example of what we can achieve in collaboration with clients and architects, and is already winning various awards.”
For more details on the project watch our YouTube video: Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre – An Exemplar Sustainable Building Designed to BREEAM Excellent or check out the written case study: Hicks Lodge Cycle Centre in the National Forest.
NOTES:
* BREEAM is the foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings. It sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation.