BREEAM - Man 9 Publication of Building Information

Brent Civic Centre Case study

Description of the project and function areas
Brent Civic Centre is a large multi-use
building, which accommodates a number of
different functions under one roof. The
building has been designed to streamline the
efficient delivery of services to Brent's diverse
community and is made up of the following
areas.

Foyer 2,244sqm
The main entrance foyer is at the heart of the
civic centre. An external, covered forecourt
linked to Arena Square, leads to the main
entrance and the internal foyer beyond. The
main entrance is set back from Engineers
Way and displays signs announcing the front
door to ensure it is clear that this is where
you go on your first visit. The foyer joins the
public and civic functions, predominantly in
the south-east corner to the administrative
offices which wrap around the north and west
sides. It is designed to be open, welcoming
and accessible to all, in line with all the public
parts of the building.

Library / Customer Services Centre 1942sqm

The Library will attract the highest number of visitors to the civic centre. It is located on the
most prominent south-east corner and shares the ground and mezzanine floors with the
Customer Services Centre. The Library is a learning resource centre, which will be a place
that engenders learning and creativity; it will also be a place to meet and a host space for
community events.

Registrar - 671sqm
The new wedding / civil ceremony suite is accessible from the public foyer on one side and
the garden, which can be used for weddings, on the other. The garden is clearly separated
from the public realm to avoid cross-over of football fans and wedding parties.
It is a private space, bounded by living barriers with glimpses and long views through access
gates. The open space of the garden gives clear views of the civic centre from Engineers
Way. Ceremonial drop-off points are provided to the north of the site as well as at the main
entrance on Engineers Way. Registration of births and deaths will be discreetly handled on
the mezzanine level above.

Community Hall and Winter Garden 2,188sqm

The Community Hall provides a space which can be adapted for conference, banqueting or
community activity. It is a large venue which can be split up with sliding / folding partitions
and joined to the Winter Garden to accommodate up to 800 seated in banquet style.
Catering facilities are provided. The Winter Garden is a unique, all-year offer in Wembley.

Civic Hall and Board Rooms 1,828sqm

The Civic Hall is a space in which the Council can meet,
performing the traditional function of the Council Chamber,
yet it is flexible to accommodate different types of function
with moveable furniture and adaptable IT/AV. The Board
Rooms are large board type meeting rooms which are
adaptable to size and requirement through sliding / folding
partitions and adaptable IT/AV. Adding to the unique offer, is
the access to the covered Terrace from the Board Rooms,
which is open sided in contrast to the Winter Garden.

Members Accommodation - 699sqm

Accommodation is provided for the main parties in cellular
rooms with a common room for Members and the Mayors
Parlour overlooking Arena Square and beyond.

Civic Administration 18,870sqm

The L shaped administration block provides flexible openplan office space for up to 2,000 staff, working at 80 per cent
utilization at 1,600 workstations. Meeting spaces in closed rooms as well as in the office floor
plate is provided in addition to quiet working rooms. Breakout areas are located close to tea
points and business centres enclose support areas for office equipment.

Basement - 7239sqm
Car parking spaces, including disabled / parent-baby bays are provided in the basement with
bicycles spaces (additional cycle spaces are also provided at ground floor) and motorcycle
spaces. Showers and changing facilities are located at the base of the main office core and
stairs and lifts are provided for staff and public arriving in the basement. Mechanical and
electrical plant rooms are arranged along the north and west sides. There is also provision
for electric vehicles and associated charging points.

Retail and caf bar 1,351sqm

This area is leased to an external third party to manage the letting of space for retail outlets.
The retail outlets that will operate from this area are still being decided and will be confirmed
at a later date.
Other functional areas:

Catering 141sqm
Parking, ramp access, bicycle racks, loading bay - 5,961sqm
Plant rooms 2,628sqm
Ancillary spaces and walkways 1,528sqm
BREEAM Rating and score
The building at the design phase is Outstanding (92.55 per cent) and is on track to receive
an Outstanding rating at the Post Construction Review stage.

Key innovative and low-impact design features of the building

The New Brent Civic Centre is designed to be a resource efficient building using significantly
less energy than a conventional building, being some 70 per cent more energy efficient than
a comparable building. This is achieved using a series of technologies that compliment each

other, notably a modulating CHP engine that uses 2nd Generation Waste bio fuel to provide
the cooling, heating, and power base load for over 90 per cent of the year. Not only does this
enable very significant reductions in energy and carbon footprint but also is significantly
cleaner by reducing NOx emissions 40mg/kwh for electricity produced by the Bio fuel CHP.
Further significant improvements are gained by the use of bespoke LED lighting and highly
efficient Fluorescent tubes, Integrated Air Source Heat Pump Air Handling Units, and
advanced control protocols together with water efficient systems reducing pump power input
by 23 per cent.
Energy
Energy efficiency
The building achieves an A rated Energy Performance Certificate with CO 2 factor of 17
significantly exceeding the minimum factor to achieve BREEAM Outstanding of 25. (A
similar benchmark for a comparative newly built building would be a CO2 factor of 59.) The
building emission rate achieved is 8.5 kgCO2/m2 per annum against the notional emission
rate of 45.1kgCO2/m2 per annum.
The passive design makes extensive use of natural/mixed mode ventilation, which involves
using natural ventilation instead of mechanical ventilation when possible, and natural
daylight. Some 10 of the 28 Occupancy Air Handling Units have been changed to Air Source
Heat Pump Air Handling Units, eliminating 15 per cent of pipework and reducing pump
power input by 23 per cent compared with conventional systems.
The building is equipped with a 300 Kw Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) liquid
bio fuel engine, which can run on 11 different waste fuels. The system includes a 240 Kw
absorption chiller and the design has eliminated the need for thermal storage. The CCHP
system is designed to handle circa 10 per cent of the buildings cooling, heating, and
electrical requirements. The system will primarily run on fish oil residue, which is recognised
by the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Office of Gas and Electricity
Markets as having the lowest carbon footprint of all current bio fuels and is recognised by the
Building Research Establishment as a second generation end-of-line waste that would
otherwise be incinerated. The fish oil residue is sourced by an external supplier, who also
maintain the system to achieve run hours of circa 90 per cent per annum.
The atrium roof is made
from Ethylene
tetrafluoroethylene
(ETFE), which is a semiopaque material that
allows natural daylight into
the atrium whilst avoiding
excessive solar heat gain,
while significantly reducing
the lighting carbon and
energy footprint.

Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting has been extensively used throughout the building, which
uses around 50 per cent less energy and has a lifespan of up to 7 times longer than
conventional lighting. Energy efficient elevators were installed that each uses around 4,000
kWh per year, or 60 per cent less energy than conventional models. The elevators are each
equipped with a regenerative drive that converts the potential energy from downward
movements back into electricity. In addition the escalators are energy efficient, with a sensor
activated standby mode and a load-sensing device that synchronizes motor output with
passenger demand through variable speed drives.
Energy monitoring and management
The Centre is equipped with a Building
Management System (BMS), which
manages and optimizes the overall
building performance through continuous
commissioning. The BMS controls and
monitors the CCHP plant, the air-handling
and chiller plant, electricity use and the
indoor environment, with landlord and
tenant sub-metering and monitoring of all
primary plant and use of gas, water, and
electricity
Carbon footprint
A carbon footprinting exercise was carried out on the building that included the concrete
frame, steel and cladding elements which calculated a 26 per cent reduction in the projects
embodied carbon emissions when compared to standard methods and materials that could
have been used. Carbon savings resulted primarily from the reduced thickness of the
concrete floor slabs due to the post tensioning method used in the construction, and the
substitution of carbon-intensive binder with 50 per cent Ground Granulated Blast Furnace
Slag (GGBS). GGBS is a by-product of the steel making process and reduces the need for
carbon-intensive cement. 25 per cent of the aggregate used on the project was Cornish
Stent, which is a secondary aggregate derived from the China Clay mining process. Local
materials were also sourced when possible to reduce transport-related carbon emissions.
Operational carbon savings
Whilst the New Brent Civic Centre needed to achieve a 56 per cent reduction in energy
efficiency against the notional building to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, further design
development and bio fuel selection has exceeded this by improving this figure to 72 per cent
with an estimated Building Emission Rate of 8.5kgCO2/m2 per annum.
Environmentally responsible materials
Over 80 per cent of the construction materials were environmentally certified. BES 6001
Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products included the concrete and steel frame and in
situ concrete floor slabs. ISO 14001 certified products included the external walls,
plasterboard and glass partitions. Material selection was based on a cost and environmental
life cycle perspective with a detailed life cycle costing study undertaken. For example, rigid

tile/slabs with a relatively high initial cost were selected due to their lower life cycle cost over
a 60-year period due to their low replacement rate. Materials with low or zero-VOC (Volatile
Organic Compound) content were selected, such as finishes, fittings and decorative
coatings. Other environmentally responsible materials included the GGBS, and the concrete
frame of the building, which has a fair-faced finish that does not require additional finishing
materials such as plasterboard or ceiling tiles.
Operational waste management
The Civic centre has comprehensive waste sorting facilities including provision for the
composting of biodegradable waste. The Centre will be connected the ENVAC automated
vacuum waste collection system in Wembley Park, which efficiently transports waste in
underground pipes and avoids the need for waste collection vehicles.
Water efficiency
Brent Civic Centre uses around 45 per cent less water than conventional water management
systems and techniques. All bathroom fixtures have sensor controls. The Centre has a large
rainwater harvesting system, which collects roof runoff in a storage tank in the basement.
The system automatically manages and prioritizes the reuse of harvested rainwater for toilet
flushing and landscape irrigation. Landscaped areas include drought tolerant species that
require minimal irrigation. The BMS measures water consumption in different parts of the
building and can detect leakages.
Green roofing
The administration building has a green roof. Green roofing provides additional thermal
insulation and extends the roofs lifespan by protecting it from weathering and UV light. In
addition roof vegetation can provide habitats for birds and insects, filter airborne pollution
and reduce storm-water runoff.
Biodiversity
The site was previously a car park with no plant species. The
addition of landscaped gardens, a green roof and various hanging
boxes for bats and birds, and invertebrate boxes has enhanced
biodiversity on the site. Specific species of bird that are being
encouraged include the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros),
which is a protected species that tends to favor urban habitats.
Minimizing light pollution
Exterior lighting luminaries emit less than 15 per cent upward light
and have a total site illuminance of 25 lux pre-curfew and 5 lux
post-curfew. All external lighting is controlled by daylight sensing
photocells, time switches and manual override switches.
Healthy indoor environments
The administration building is designed to promote healthy environments for staff and
visitors. All administration workstations are within 7 meters of a window, which provides

natural daylight and external views at seat-level. The building is also extensively glazed to
allow natural daylight to penetrate the building, and various manual and electronic sunblinds
avoid solar glare and excessive solar gain. All luminaries in the administration areas have
high frequency ballasts to reduce light flicker. The winter garden and public gardens offer
spaces to relax.
The centre itself is designed to be flexible in order to promote a long useful lifespan. The
mixed-use development provides workers and the public with opportunities to work, shop
and eat. The multi-functional winter garden and community hall has the capacity for up to
1,000 people for various events, and the public garden can be used for events such as
weddings and art exhibitions. The library has enhanced learning resources and study areas.
The Customer Service Centre has an interactive waiting area with self-service options.
Disabled access features include disabled car parking,
automatic doors, and large lifts to all floors. There are
also multi-faith contemplation rooms available together
with baby feeding space designed alongside baby
changing facilities.
Promoting more sustainable modes of transport
The Centre has 250 cycling spaces, including 75
basement spaces reserved for staff. Showers and
lockers are also provided to encourage staff to cycle to
work. Bus stops are within an 8-minute walk, and
London Underground lines and National Rail within a
12-minute walk. There is a dedicated travel information
point in the foyer that displays public transport and taxi
information and the local authority will operate a Green
Travel Plan. 47 of the basement vehicle parking
spaces have electric charging stations, which are
connected to the waste biofuel CCHP system to
provide vehicles with low-carbon electricity.
Costs and predicted energy and water usage
The cost / m2 has been taken using the total Gross Internal Area of the building (GIA) which
will include areas not accounted for in the floor area used for energy modelling purposes
(stairs, internal plant areas etc). The total GIA has been calculated at 39,683m2.

Building Cost - 2000/m2

Services Costs - 800/m2
External Works - 500/m2 (including soft landscaping)
Gross floor area 39,683m2
Total area of site 1.012hectares
Area of circulation - total GIA with the exclusion of the Civic Hall and Board Rooms,
Members Accommodation and the Civic Administration areas.
Per cent area of grounds to be used by community - 98 per cent
Per cent area of building to be used by community - 38 per cent
Predicted electricity consumption 1,811,127kWh/m2
Predicted fossil fuel consumption 492,724 kWh/m2

Predicted renewable energy generation - 686,123kWh/m2

Predicted water use - 9 m3/person/year
Predicted water use to be provided by rainwater or greywater 66 per cent

Steps taken during the construction process to reduce environmental impacts

The project team diverted over 90 per cent of construction waste from landfill through
efficient waste management processes. Total recycled content for the project was
approximately 50 per cent.Reusable packaging was used to deliver construction materials in
order to reduce waste.
During the commissioning phase, the project team used an innovative water treatment and
reuse system to clean the chilled and heating pipe work, which reduced potable water use
by 99 per cent. Water used to clean out pipework can typically amount to almost half the
total water used during the construction process. The solution similarly reduces the effluent
discharge during treatment and gained an innovation credit from the BRE for its use at Brent
Civic Centre.
Social or economically sustainable measures achieved/piloted.
The project won the Considerate Constructors Scheme National Site Gold Award for its
exceptional standards of consideration for the local community, its workforce and the wider
environment from a list of 8,500 sites around the country.
The project team organized around 50 community engagement events primarily held off-site
with schools, local organizations and local disadvantaged or unemployed people. Such
events involved around 2,110 people and over 400 hours of Skanska and trade contractor
staff time.
The project also won the LGC Business Awards which champions schemes undertaken for
Local Authorities.
There were 50 trainees working on site for Skanska or project trade contractors during the
project, and over 1,000 weeks worth of training was facilitated. Various events were also
held both on site and at local schools or the College of North West London to provide
information about construction careers and apprenticeships, and interview techniques.
The project team established the Civic Centre Supply Chains Programme, which worked to
maximize the involvement of the local economy and in particular opportunities for local small
and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Over 100 local companies attended a business event
about the project and Skanskas procurement processes. Local suppliers were used on the
project, with a total spend of over 2.3million with 28 companies. Around 500 workers were
on site during the peak of construction, and at its peak, 24per cent of the workforce was from
Brent, which exceed the 10 per cent target.
Regular construction updates were posted on Brent Councils website to keep local
stakeholders updated about the project. Prior to construction, local stakeholders were
consulted and the project design and plans were amended accordingly to meet the concerns
and issues raised.