The GreenBase
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as PDF The Green Base is in the heart of Helena's Queensland Estate in Thatto Heath, and provides an office for the Green Space Service as well as a centre for the community to find out more about green issues and in particular, learn more about their environment and their green spaces. The landscape around the building has been developed into attractive gardens as an illustration of what can be achieved.The Green Base is a home for the Green Space Service and act as a community resource for horticultural activities, including opportunities for residents to learn about growing plants, improve and manage their own gardens as well as getting involved with improving public green spaces. Volunteers, apprentices, interest groups and other local people are all able to get involved.
The GreenBase : Project images
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Energy and fuel use
Renewable electricity generation This project has used the contributions from renewable electricity generation equipment to either meet the Retrofit for the Future target or otherwise reduce the Primary energy requirement and CO₂ emissions associated with the project.
Measured data from renewable generation is not yet available.
Fuel use
| Pre-development | Forecast | Measured | |
| Electricity use | - | 7945 kWh/yr | 7743 kWh/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas use | - | 4300 kWh/yr | 4494 kWh/yr |
| Oil use | - | - | - |
| LPG use | - | - | - |
| Wood use | - | - | - |
| Other Fuel | - | - | - |
| Pre-development | Forecast | Measured | |
| Primary energy requirement | - | 117 kWh/m².yr | 116 kWh/m².yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ emissions | - | 26 kg CO₂/m².yr | 26 kg CO₂/m².yr |
| Annual space heat demand | - | 15 kWh/m².yr | 14.3 kWh/m².yr |
Renewable energy
| Electricity generation | Forecast | Measured |
|---|---|---|
| Renewables Technology | - | 4634 kWh/yr |
| Other Renewables Tech | - | - |
| Electricity consumed by generation | - | - |
| Primary energy requirement offset by renewable generation | 117 kWh/m².yr | 61 kWh/m².yr |
| Annual CO₂ emissions offset by renewable generation | 26 kg CO₂/m².yr | 13 kg CO₂/m².yr |
Calculation and targets
| Whole house energy calculation method | PHPP |
|---|---|
| Other whole house calculation method | - |
| Energy target | PassivHaus |
| Other energy targets | - |
| Forecast heating load | 11 W/m² demand |
Airtightness
| Date | Result | |
| Pre-development air permeability test | - | - |
|---|---|---|
| Final air permeability test | 08 July 2011 | 0.44m³/m².hr @ 50 Pascals |
Project description
| Stage | Occupied |
|---|---|
| Start date | 01 October 2010 |
| Occupation date | 31 July 2011 |
| Location | St Helens Lancashire England |
| Build type | New build |
| Building sector | Commercial |
| Property type | Detached |
| Construction type | |
| Other construction type | |
| Party wall construction | |
| Floor area | 212 m² |
| Floor area calculation method | Treated Floor Area (PHPP) |
| Building certification |  Passivhaus certified building |
Project Team
| Organisation | Helena Homes |
|---|---|
| Project lead person | |
| Landlord or Client | Liz Somner |
| Architect | Simmonds.Mills Architects [www.simmondsmills.com] |
| Mechanical & electrical consultant | Alan Clarke |
| Energy consultant | Alan Clarke |
| Structural engineer | Bob Johnson |
| Quantity surveyor | Helena Homes/Paragon Construction |
| Consultant | |
| Contractor | Paragon Construction |
Design strategies
| Planned occupancy | 8 permanent staff |
|---|---|
| Space heating strategy | Gas boiler & radiators |
| Water heating strategy | Gas boiler |
| Fuel strategy | Natural gas, mains electricity |
| Renewable energy strategy | PV panels to one roof (not required for passivhaus target) |
| Passive Solar strategy | Building designed around maximising passive solar gain and extensive natural daylighting |
| Space cooling strategy | Passivhaus approach to window shading: window venetian blinds, extended roof overhangs etc. MVHR summer bypass and natural ventilation option (opening windows!) |
| Daylighting strategy | daylight modelling carried out and careful choice of surfaces and paint colours for internal decorations. Windows positioned to maximise daylighting |
| Ventilation strategy | MVHR and openable windows |
| Airtightness strategy | concrete raft meets wall plaster meets membrane tapes meets windows and doors / PU foam in ceiling. Late specification change from mineral fibre to PU foam: foam used as air and vapour barrier to ceilings. |
| Strategy for minimising thermal bridges | Passivhaus approach - aiming for 100% thermal bridge free details |
| Modelling strategy | PHPP and daylight modelling. |
| Insulation strategy | EWI to concrete block wall structure using Larsen trusses filled with insulation (timber clad areas) or direct applied EPS (rendered areas). Concrete raft on high density EPS slab. PU foam within and below I beam roof structure. Triple glazed windows and doors with insulated frames. |
| Other relevant retrofit strategies | N/A |
| Contextual information | The GreenBase sits in the middle of a housing estate providing homes for Helena's tenants. |
Building services
| Occupancy | as specified in design strategies |
|---|---|
| Space heating | Gas boiler and few but large radiators |
| Hot water | Gas boiler, microbore pipes in screed to basins/sinks |
| Ventilation | 2 no. Paul MVHR units |
| Controls | |
| Cooking | Microwave |
| Lighting | low energy high frequency fluorescent |
| Appliances | Low energy appliances and office equipment specified |
| Renewable energy generation system | Area of Pv panels to roof of main hall |
| Strategy for minimising thermal bridges | Thermal bridge free |
Building construction
| Storeys | 1 |
|---|---|
| Volume | - |
| Thermal fabric area | 840 m² |
| Roof description | I beams with insulation between and below |
| Roof U-value | 0.08 W/m² K |
| Walls description | 2 wall types, 1) rendered EPS on blockwork and 2) insulation filled timber clad, timber Larsen trusses |
| Walls U-value | 0.12 W/m² K |
| Party walls description | |
| Party walls U-value | - |
| Floor description | Concrete raft and screed on 250mm EPS |
| Floor U-value | 0.17 W/m² K |
| Glazed doors description | included in windows description |
| Glazed doors U-value | - uninstalled |
| Opaque doors description | N/A |
| Opaque doors U-value | - - |
| Windows description | Windows and Doors: Varion range from Internorm including 2+1 units with integral ventian blinds for solar control. Average U value for all windows and doors shown below. |
| Windows U-value | 0.96 W/m² K - |
| Windows energy transmittance (G-value) | 0.52 % |
| Windows light transmittance | - |
| Rooflights description | None |
| Rooflights light transmittance | - |
| Rooflights U-value | - |