"Outstanding" BREEAM achievement at One Trinity Green
One Trinity Green was one of the first buildings in the area and only the tenth in the UK to have achieved a five-star "Outstanding" rating by the Building Research Establishment (BRE).
As part of the first phase of Trinity South development in South Shields, we completed the design and construction supervision of the 3,200m² high-tech business centre. The multipurpose facility provides 41 flexible offices, workshops, and social areas to nurture new and growing renewables and low carbon sector businesses.
Key details
Project name
One Trinity Green
Client
Robertson Construction and South Tyneside Council
Location
South Shields, Tyne and Wear
Services Provided
- Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design (MEP)
- BREEAM services
- Sustainability
- Infrastructure design
- Construction Stage project monitoring
BREEAM
Outstanding
Challenge
Our team of engineers worked with our clients to identify the key challenges that needed to be overcome for project success. Delivering a facility that was green inside and out was a contractual requirement and a top priority for our client so getting the required contractor led credits to achieve BREEAM Outstanding was vital. We also had to address remediation requirements for potential contamination around a former circuit board factory and had to divert a public sewer.
Solution
Achieving the maximum BREEAM Credits
By working together as a team and getting buy-in from all parties we achieved maximum credits for the management and waste categories, with only one credit dropped in the transport, water and pollution categories. The main factor in being awarded BREEAM Outstanding was achieving five innovation credits for low and zero carbon technologies, Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) and site waste management.
Our remediation strategy to tackle potential contamination
To confirm the extent of the pollution, the team undertook a desk top study and produced a preliminary risk assessment. Site investigation (SI) was undertaken based on Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requirements.
Based on the SI information, remediating the site was the only available option and through the remediation strategy required close liaison with the council and design team and included removing hot-spots and introducing a protective capping layer.
Utilities diversions
To make sure there were no delays with utilities diversions and connections we liaised with all network operators early to develop utilities quotations and orders. We then reviewed utilities requirements, developed trackers to manage progress, added all key dates into the master programme. This forward planning was essential to success, as we required to submit a Section 185 Sewer Diversion Agreement and obtain official design approvals from Northumbrian Water for the diversion of a 70-inch public sewer, prior to commencing groundworks.