Cambridge Avenue

SEGRO, owner of the Slough Trading Estate, one of the largest of its kind in Europe, has signed a 10 year lease with existing customer ‘Lanes for Drains’ for 9 Cambridge Avenue, a warehouse which was dismantled and re-built elsewhere on the estate to make way for a new road bridge.

Sturgis Carbon Profiling was commissioned by SEGRO to assess the Whole Life Carbon impact of the office, reusing existing building’s components wherever feasible. This was done in order to provide SEGRO with an understanding of any potential carbon savings compared to a new build; and also identify options that could reduce its embodied carbon impacts further.

The study covered:

Whole life carbon assessment (at practical completion and over 60 years)
Whole life carbon comparisons with benchmark building (Part L compliant new-build)
Identification of embodied carbon reduction options for future projects

Key Achievements

56 % lower embodied carbon at practical completion compared to a comparative new-build
25% saving in costs compared to a comparative new-build
6% lower whole life carbon footprint compared to a comparative new-build
No organic waste

The 56% reduction in embodied carbon at completion is equivalent to a saving of about 700 tonnes CO2e. The graph below shows the embodied carbon reduction achieved by building components.

Embodied carbon comparison of building components

Sturgis suggest that there is the potential to increase the percentage of material re-used in buildings of this type closer to 80-90%. This requires that the buildings are designed for comprehensive disassembly and reuse from the outset. For example, specifying re-usable concrete planks as ground slabs, etc. These sort of actions could provide further savings in terms of both carbon and cost.

The unit is particularly impressive given the work done to move its location on the Trading Estate. The relocation has saved 530 tonnes of carbon which is the equivalent of 2,500 trees or 115 return flights from London to Hong Kong and its carbon footprint is 40% lower than the benchmark as a result.”

Gareth Osborn, Business Unit Director, SEGRO

Key facts

Date: 2014	Location: Slough, Berkshire
Client: SEGRO	Architect: Langley Hall Associates
Structural engineer: John Tooke and Partners	Contractor: Francis Construction