First non-domestic Passivhaus (EnerPHit) compliant office refurbishment in the UK. This project involved the deep retrofit of Voreda House, an office building in Penrith, Cumbria, aiming for the EnerPHit (Passivhaus retrofit) standard. The project involved wrapping the building in external wall insulation and addressing challenges such as thermal bridging, limited floor-to-ceiling height, and ventilation design. The outcome is the UK’s first non-domestic Passivhaus-compliant office refurbishment, achieving an estimated 85% energy savings and creating a sustainable and healthy workplace for up to 140 occupants.
CLIENT: Westmorland and Furness Council
VALUE: £8.3m
LOCATION: Penrith, Cumbria
SERVICES: Mechanical & Electrical Design
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
Westmorland and Furness Council sought to consolidate its office accommodation into a modern and sustainable building that meets the Passivhaus energy efficiency standards. The council aimed to replace its current inefficient offices with a retrofitted building, Voreda House, purchased specifically for this purpose. The council received £850K grant funding from the Government to make the project net zero carbon, aligning with the council’s commitment to addressing the climate emergency and creating a landmark building they could be proud of.
OUR SOLUTION
PSA delivered a full Mechanical and Electrical Design for the project.
The design approach involved:
- Wrapping the building in external wall insulation to improve thermal performance and comfort.
- The pre-cast concrete roof was overlaid with insulation
- The concrete panelling was replaced with a steel frame system holding stone wool insulation.
- To minimise thermal bridging, the external wall insulation was extended into the ground.
- The building was clad with a lightweight dry-cassette cladding system to maintain the sandstone character of the conservation area.
Challenges such as stairwell and lift shaft integration, limited floor-to-ceiling height, and ventilation ductwork were addressed through innovative solutions.
THE OUTCOME
The project resulted in the UK’s first non-domestic Passivhaus (EnerPHit) compliant office refurbishment, with an estimated 85% energy savings. It created a sustainable and healthy workplace for up to 140 occupants, showcasing a positive contribution to the environment and setting a benchmark for commercial building upgrade.
Image Credit: Collinson Construction
