Cambridge refurb project to be the deepest shade of green

ISG has begun work on a £12.8m ‘deep green’ refurbishment project for Cambridge University that is expected to set new standards for low energy use.The Entopia Building, a retrofitted 1930s Telephone Exchange at 1 Regent Street in Cambridge, will be transformed over the next 10 months into an ultra-low carbon headquarters for the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).CISL intends to use this project as a case study to show others how they too can show ‘sustainability leadership’.The showcase retrofit is projected to result in an 80% saving in whole life carbon emissions compared to a standard office refurbishment. It will be carried out according to EnerPHit, the Passivhaus standard for refurbishment and one of the most stringent standards for energy retrofits. It will deliver 75% lower heating demand in comparison to an average office building, and airtightness at more than five times that required by building regulations.It is also using second-hand light bulbs and second-hand furniture to maximise its green credentials.The £12.8m retrofit has been supported by a £6m donation from greentech leaders Envision Group and a £3m grant from the European Regional Development fund (ERDF), which is also funding the operation of a sustainability hub and small business and start up accelerator for three years. The University has invested its own funds in the project alongside an internal grant from its internal Energy & Carbon Reduction Project.The Entopia Building aims to earn all the badges going, including BREEAM Outstanding and Well Gold as well as Passivhaus Enerphit.BDP is building services consultant on the project. James Hepburn, principal at BDP, described it as “the most significant project of its type in the country – proving that the most sustainable building is one that already exists”.The Entopia Building aims to open to staff by the end of 2021.