One Creative Environments Ltd. (One)’s engineers were commissioned to work alongside Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s architectural team to provide a solution for a highly sustainable and efficient A rated 2-storey 60 bed care facility that would set the tone and be an exemplar for further local authority development.

The new build care home in Tanworth Lane, Shirley will replace an existing facility in the borough and provide the highest level of care to residents to allow them to live as independently as possible. The home will provide 60 apartments, a bistro/café, central seating area, multi-purpose room, laundry and administration offices.

With the client strongly focused on quality of care, sustainability and long-term investment to ensure an energy efficient building was delivered, One’s Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team explored a range of options and provided the best advice for long-term payback solutions.
With the needs of the end users and client being paramount, One provided solutions that would be best for the future residents and for the environment, for example, by researching the DSDC Stirling University guides for dementia friendly lighting resulted in the use of circadian rhythm low energy LED lighting to mimic natural daylight patterns internally.

One designed a system that incorporates a number of renewable technologies, solar PV and ground source heat pump, as well as LED lighting and comprehensive lighting controls. Additionally, a high level of building control and automation will be provided to measure and optimise the energy efficiency which will include: energy sub-meter for gas, electrical and heat services, plant control and monitoring for all central plant along with fault indication and reporting.

The end result was a highly efficient building with an EPC rating of 17A, a reduction of 48.6 tonnes CO2/annum with payback periods of 7 years which will significantly help the public purse.

Key achievements

• A highly efficient building with a EPC rating of 17A, a reduction of 48.6 tonnes CO2/annum with payback periods of 7 years.
• A building that will act as exemplar for further development which can be replicated in the healthcare sector.
• The future occupants of this building were central to this sustainable approach.  e.g. research into the DSDC Stirling University guides for dementia friendly lighting resulted in the use of circadian rhythm low energy LED lighting to mimic natural daylight patterns internally.