Sustainable Construction winner SKM

edie’s Awards for Environmental Excellence’s winner: SKM’s MediaCityUK

What the judges said: “The sheer scale and ability to contribute to a sustainable way of life affecting the greatest number of people on a daily and yearly basis.

“A good considered approach to the potential that the site can offer utilising the canal as part of the heating and cooling systems.”

MediaCityUK is the second largest construction project in the UK, after the Olympics and aism to be a global leader for sustainable communities and from its inception has embodied sound environmental practices through design, construction and operation providing opportunities for local economic growth, sustainable living and flexibility for future growth.

Owned and managed by Peel Media, MediaCityUK occupies 36 acres of former industrial dockland in Salford Quays.

When completed the site will include 700,000 sq ft of office space, 250,000 sq ft of studio blocks, 80,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, 378 apartments, a hotel, a five acre public piazza, technical infrastructure supported by 18 million metres of fibre, transport links via a new tram stop, a multi-storey car park (MSCP) and a Tri Generation energy centre.

The development will also be home to the BBC, the University of Salford and will be home to more than 1,000 media related businesses, 378 homes and employ 15,500 people.

At the outset demanding sustainability targets were set around waste to landfill, materials, design and carbon emissions.

These areas were key priorities and a measure of MediaCityUK’s success. Buildings at MediaCityUK benefi t from the use of a Combined Heat and Power energy system known as ‘Tri-Generation’ which has projected savings across the whole site of 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per annum and is key to achieving exceptionally high sustainability credentials.

The multi-story car park was designed to incorporate the Tri-Generation energy centre.

The system reduces carbon emissions by up to 40%, enhances security of energy supply and provides lower energy costs.

It works in conjunction with a canal water cooling system to maximise energy efficiency, particularly in the winter.

Heat generated from the Combined Heat and Power unit is utilised for heating and the canal temperature is low enough to provide cooling.

The engine generates electrical power for use by the development and excess power can be exported to the National Grid.

The modular design of the energy system provides a number of benefits including cost savings resulting from a phased installation, flexible operation, maintenance and adaptability to future changes in fuel sources.

This innovative approach frees up valuable real estate and reduces emissions associated with multi-site boilers.

MediaCityUK is an exemplar project of construction effi ciency; it is the first development to achieve a BREEAM Communities accreditation to ‘Excellent’ standard.

Shortlisted projects in no particular order

Cambridge University & Arup laboratory

Mott Macdonald’s Darwin Centre Phase 2

Scott Wilson’s new Brent Civic Centre

Aspire Defence’s for the Ministry of Defence

Cube Housing Solutions’ Cub Homes

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