No Bricks: Zero Carbon – Business Park new build is environmentally better
A building without bricks – that’s the latest energy-saving project at an environment-conscious Oxfordshire Business Park. Property Management company, Jennings is building a new block of eco-workshops at its Monument Business Park, Chalgrove and setting new standards for environment-friendly business.
The workshop block, called Greenacres Courtyard, is being built from a hemp and lime based product which absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere – making this a zero carbon development. The courtyard features 12 small workshops and offices between 300 and 600sqft in size and is due for completion before the end of this year.
The development proved a popular attraction as Jennings hosted an Open Day to celebrate their latest new eco-building initiative on Monument Park with guests invited to take a tour of the Greenacres Development, (see picture).
Managing Director, Mike Jennings, says: “Greenacres is a genuinely innovative development as the building produces zero-carbon emissions as a result of using natural building products – hemp and lime – and we are not aware of any other local business park that has committed to supporting the environment to such an extent. We are pleased that it has encouraged so much interest and feel sure that many small businesses in the region will be attracted to premises where you help to look after the environment whilst you work. Half of the 12 studio workshops are already pre-let even though we are not planning to open until late January 2009. The event had a real buzz, with people from a wide variety of organisations and businesses coming along to see for themselves what’s going on here.”
Greenacres Courtyard is the latest development at Monument Park to feature cutting edge environmental technology. It’s being built alongside another environment-friendly building, Ashgrove House. Like the main serviced office centre at Monument, Hampden House, Ashgrove House was built with a careful eye on environmental issues. It has high quality wall insulation and double glazing to minimise electricity usage, a high-tec rain collection system which is recycled to flush the toilets, and a state-of-the-art air handling system which is both cost effective and produces better quality air than standard air conditioning. Each office uses recyclable light tubes and has its own light sensors so that the lights go off when there’s no-one in the room. As much of the material from the building that was demolished to make space for Ashgrove House was re-cycled or re-used. Jennings employed as many local contractors as they could to do the work.
Monument Park is home to more than 75 companies employing 500 people between them and offers a mix of business premises ranging from 100 to 10,000 sq ft, from basic manufacturing units to high spec offices, all at reasonable prices. Hampden House and Rupert House offer purpose-built serviced and managed offices for small businesses.
Further details on the Greenacres Development can be obtained from Jennings, by calling 01865 893300 or emailing hello@jennings.co.uk