Sustainable new office for Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council supported by Ingleton Wood Tuesday, 27th February 2024

Property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood was pleased to help create and put sustainability at the heart of new shared office premises for Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council.

The Practice’s Norwich office, which has a history of successful collaboration with both Councils on affordable housing developments and other projects, was appointed to develop a scheme to decarbonise the building’s heating system and provide project management services during construction.

Initially constructed in 2002, the Net Zero building had been using significant photovoltaic (PV) arrays to offset its carbon usage, but moving to an efficient heat pump system was a key part of transforming the new premises into a state-of-the-art and environmentally-friendly office which the Councils have occupied since 2023.

Both authorities have committed to being Net Zero by 2030 and the recently refurbished building will help to reduce the Councils’ carbon footprint by 84%.

Steve Nash, Associate, Building Services and Sustainability Engineer at Ingleton Wood, said: “We have built strong relationships with Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council over many years and were thrilled to support their own Net Zero journey by providing our expertise and advice for their new chapter within the sustainable Horizon Centre premises.

“It is important to recognise that every organisation can play a role in delivering a sustainable future for the built environment. That’s why it’s fantastic to see two local proactive Councils here in Norfolk leading by example while also benefitting from significant cost savings.”

As part of the Councils’ Public Sector Decarbonisation project, funded by a £2 million grant from Salix, two Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) were delivered to replace old gas boilers at the end of last year.

The new ASHPs will save approximately 50 tons of carbon a year which is the equivalent to driving 461,700km in a small car or taking 775 flights from London to Manchester.

The much lower running costs of the Horizon building have reduced the Councils’ expenses by £600,000 a year. In addition, the Horizon Centre’s 2,500 solar panels will help offset future energy price hikes.