Thursday, October 01, 2009
£2m eco-office reflects company's sustainable ethos,
as local MP visits
West Coast Energy has moved into a new
purpose-built headquarters in Mold, Flintshire. As
befits a company in the business of making renewable energy a
reality, the new headquarters has been designed with the
environment very much front of mind, using a
number of sustainable methods and materials.
West Coast Energy had outgrown its current rented office space
at Waen Farm in Mold, and the management was keen to move into
their own premises as an investment in the future of the company.
The new, 850m2 timber clad office has been accredited
under the BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) as
'excellent', and includes a glue laminated timber (glulam) frame.
All the timber used in the build and furniture is Forestry
Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and sourced from local
suppliers.
The building's 'green' roof features a covering of sedum plants
to further benefit the environment and boost insulation. The
low-impact environmental build also made maximal use of local
suppliers, as well as available natural resources, to reduce power
usage including sun pipes for natural lighting, natural ventilation
and a sustainable drainage system. Eighty per cent of the fabric of
the building is made from A-rated energy performance materials.
Electrical lighting is operated by movement sensor.
In addition to the move, West Coast Energy has launched a
redesigned corporate identity. The company's branding and logos
have been updated to be cleaner, more modern and reflective of the
organisation's sustainable ethos. A newly designed website will
also be launching soon.
The newly completed building was visited and toured by local MP
David Hanson, who commented: "I am always heartened during these
difficult economic times to see a Flintshire business thriving. In
West Coast Energy's case this is combined with an inspirational
environmental construction project. I am delighted to have toured
the new headquarters to see how a successful local business has
realised ambitious plans for expansion. West Coast Energy's new
headquarters is a wonderful example of a truly environmental build,
from the insulated foundations to the sedum roof."
Paula Jewson, Director and Company Secretary, West Coast Energy
comments: "We are very proud of our new headquarters, which is a
great example of modern construction from sustainably-sourced
materials: from under-floor heating to cyclist facilities to
including showers with low water consumption sanitary fittings. It
is a vast improvement on our previous surroundings and will bring
our employees a more attractive, modern and airy working
environment. What's more, all staff members will now be working in
the same building - previously they had been spread across three
sites."
The new office is set within landscaping of locally sourced
trees and wild flowers, improving the surrounding habitat's
biodiversity. Rain water will be conserved using storage butts and
porous tarmac paves the car park. An application for a wind turbine
is currently underway, to enable self-sufficiency and promote the
use of renewable energy locally.
