 Take the lime and the carbon dioxide - it drinks it all up Carbon negative buildings arrive
October 11th 2006 The recently built Adnams distribution and logistics centre claims to be Britain’s greenest warehouse. The architect AukettFitzroyRobinson has created a building that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere rather than using in the creation of bricks and so on. The premium cost of such a green building is only 15% higher and this is soon recouped through its inherent energy efficient attributes. Water, Energy & Environment Editor, Tim McManan-Smith reports.
AukettFitzroyRobinson believes that construction can ‘aspire to carbon negative’. This assertion that it is possible to construct buildings and remove carbon from the atmosphere rather than emit it is a bold one.
Ten years ago green buildings were a fairly rare sight in the UK. Being green added a lot to the initial cost a project and deterred many people from attempting such projects. There has been a shift, not only towards more and more green buildings being built but from the concept of a green building which was essentially an ordinary building that contains elements that will improve its energy efficiency to the idea of a sustainable building. This is one where the construction is recyclable or reusable material sources.
The Adnams project in Southwold is one such building. It is primarily a large single storey warehouse space with associated loading and storage areas adjacent (approximately 5000m2) on the site of a disused gravel pit, set within 88 acres of grassland. It is located in Reydon, off the main road into Southwold, Suffolk.
The new centre is the first commercial building to be constructed from a mixture of lime, hemp and quarry waste that has been compressed into blocks. Developed in connection with Lime Technology, these blocks use less energy to manufacture than conventional concrete blocks. They also absorb about 1.7 times their dry body weight of carbon dioxide and convert it to plant material. This means that carbon can be locked away, reducing the CO2 emissions from construction.
The material is also an excellent insulator, it has a high thermal capacity and is vapour permeable. This reduces energy requirements and helps keep the building warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. An earth covered green roof creates a meadow of grass and wild flowers to minimise visual impact and act as a thermal buffer, regulating internal temperature and absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Overhanging eaves and brises soleil prevent excessive heat gains and solar glare and there are clerestorey windows and rooflights to provide natural daylight to the warehouse. Photo-voltaics produce 80% of the hot water requirements. All entrances to the warehouse are entered into via a buffer space to avoid excessive heat gains/loss of cold from the warehouse space.
The first floor offices are naturally ventilated by means of openable windows. Rainwater harvesting from the roof provides water for the toilets (low-flush) and showers, washing lorries and watering the roof in times of drought.
Foul water treatment is via a septic tank and and reed beds before being returned to local ponds. With all this innovation it is surprising that the cost is only 15% higher than conventional methods, however, with the running cost savings that are achievable through energy efficiency and operational efficiencies along with intangible benefits from producing a great landmark green project it is only a wonder that this sort of thing isn’t done more often. More articles from WEE News Desk: | 
