10 Station Road – a green jewel in Cambridge’s crown
The topping out of a major new office development in the city took place on Friday. In this sponsored feature, developer Brookgate and funder Aviva explain what it has to offer and describe its environmental credentials.
Both occupiers and landlords are increasingly looking for office developments that are highly sustainable and which minimise their carbon footprint.
At 10 Station Road, part of the 1.5 million sq ft CB1 estate around Cambridge Station, we are delivering one of the most environmentally sustainable buildings in the region.
The building is on track to achieve significant recognition for its environmental credentials; first, an ‘Outstanding’ score for BREEAM –a science-based certification system which measures the sustainability performance of buildings.
Fewer than one per cent of non-domestic buildings in the UK achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating, and in doing so 10 Station Road shows the commitment of the building developer (Brookgate) and funder (Aviva Investors) to deliver an exceptional and highly sustainable office building.
It has also been awarded a 4.5-star rating under the NABERS UK Design for Performance accreditation scheme, a relatively new property industry benchmark for assessing the energy efficiency of office buildings prior to and after construction, initiated by the highly-regarded Building Research Establishment – 10 Station Road is the first building in Cambridge to receive this award.
This independently-assessed accolade means the building is designed and built in a way that will enable its energy efficient design to perform to the highest standards in operation.
Designed by renowned international architect Perkins + Will, 10 Station Road will provide more than 50,000 sq ft of modern, flexible class-A office space in a prime location at the heart of the CB1 Estate. Open-plan accommodation can be divided and sublet, providing flexibility for occupiers.
The five-storey building has been designed to complement and enhance Cambridge’s rich architectural heritage. Considerable work has been done on all aspects of the building, both internally and externally, to ensure it meets occupiers’ needs and fulfils a series of design benchmarks and future building management obligations in reducing its impact on the environment.
The design takes a fabric-first approach and early stage analysis has been undertaken to ensure that its façade meets the current thermal comfort requirements.
10 Station Road features highly efficient LED lighting, plus smart metering, solar panels, rainwater collection and an all-electric power system, along with VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) heat pumps to provide heating, cooling and hot water. The building’s energy performance is expected to perform well above national building regulations with an EPC A rating.
As well as high-specification office accommodation and exceptional sustainability credentials, 10 Station Road benefits from excellent transport links from Cambridge Station. It neighbours some of the world’s most innovative companies with the offices of Microsoft Research, Samsung AI, Apple, Amazon and Deloitte all located nearby.
The natural world and physical wellbeing are both priorities at 10 Station Road; a biodiverse green and brown roof will seek to provide habitats for a range of bats, birds, butterflies, moths and bees. This, alongside the planting of trees and greenery around the building, means the site is set to achieve an overall net biodiversity gain of 268 per cent.
The building is also designed to enable a healthy user experience for its occupiers. We are targeting WELL Building Standard rating Gold, which is all about creating spaces that enhance human health and wellbeing. This will include enhanced air quality, refined drinking water and biophilic elements to benefit building occupiers.
10 Station Road will also provide 193 cycle spaces in a city that is the most bicycle-friendly in the country, while 10 of the building’s 39 car parking spaces will have electric charging points.
Due to complete in summer next year, 10 Station Road will be an outstanding addition to both the CB1 area and the Cambridge built environment; a leading example of how to integrate ambitious sustainability credentials into a progressive, city centre, commercial development scheme.
