A design and build competition brief for construction of the green office building was drawn up by Mott MacDonald with project manager and architectural consultant Drivers Jonas and property advisor Donaldsons.
The project had to be delivered within a number of challenging parameters including the client’s request for low capital expenditure from the outset, and their expectation to achieve a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘Excellent’ rating.
Based on its design, total building performance was assessed using BREEAM. The UK Border Agency (formerly called the Home Office) conducted a rigorous investigation to determine how much CO2 construction generated. Every detail was fine tuned to deliver optimum environmental performance. There was a need for low capital expenditure from the outset.
When completed Vulcan House was the second highest BREEAM scoring building in the UK and Sheffield’s first BREEAM ‘Excellent’ building.
The building benefits from low carbon design and construction, and beats government targets set for both energy and water use. A detailed carbon footprint was recorded through construction and use, used to establish a baseline for environmental performance of future government and speculative office developments. Greenhouse gases were tracked through the supply chain and building components used are fully audited and traceable.