BACKGROUND
Living Space was designed by Lambeth Council’s
Design & Technical Services, and this impressive modern facility incorporates
a number of creative environmentally friendly concepts. The facility is
staffed and run by Lambeth Council Children & Young People's Service (CYPS), with the intention
being to progress the development of the centre towards independence from
the Council, and operation as a fully independent community social enterprise.
Accommodation comprises a two-storey structural glass rotunda, with a
drop-in café on the ground floor, and modern internet suite and
UK Online centre on the mezzanine level. The upper floor houses a main
office, training & meeting rooms, office of a local youth forum SE1 United,
office of Blackfriars Settlement Youth Service team and LBL CYPS Youth Service North Lambeth area team.
The facility has a large roof terrace area which is planted and maintained
by Waterloo Green Trust and local schoolchildren. The site is also fully accessible
for disabled persons. To the rear of the ground floor is Playspace, which
is managed by partner charity Blackfriars Settlement. The youth club
facilities open out onto the all-weather adventure playground and flood-lit
ball-court. Beyond this, the site extends to include the Millennium Green,
which is managed and maintained by Waterloo Green Trust.
GREEN CONCEPTS INCORPORATED
SOLAR POWER
The system is intended to generate 1,100 kW per annum, with a CO2 saving
of 770kg per annum. The power produced is fed directly into the centre’s
distribution board and used by any load operating at the time of generation.
The system comprises a large central rotunda rooflight of 8 x Saint-Gobain
40W poly-crystalline glass laminates with an area of 16m2. The rotunda
roof houses 8 solar bins with an additional area of 7.5m2, con-sisting
of 16 AstroPower 45W mono-crystalline modules installed on alu-minium
Alu-Tec frames giving re-quired air circulation.
The fascia panels providing the final 16m2 of area, were an innovative idea of wrapping 18 x UNI–Solar 64W thin film triple junction modules, around the fascia of the rotunda, above the Reglit glazing. This is its first industrial use in a curved application which out-performs other technologies in low light conditions. A display panel in the café informs visitors of the amount of solar electricity generated since system installation, and tonnes of carbon dioxide CO2 emissions the installation has prevented.
HARVESTING THE RAIN
The roof and terrace can collect 156,600 litres of rainwater a year, averaging
430 litres a day, which is stored below ground in a Eco-vat GRP rainwater
harvesting tank. There is an installed heat exchanger providing cooled
air for the sealed plenum during the summer period. Assuming a 40% reduction
for the take-up of the green roof, 94,000 litres of recycled rainwater
is harvested each year for flushing the toilets.
GREEN ROOF
The roofs of both the rotunda and first floor are covered with a sedum
vegetation blanket, and water storage mineral wool drainage reservoir
board.
PLENUM
The 300mm deep void beneath the building, is used for both sealed and
unsealed air plenums. Fresh air is drawn in through externally mounted
louvers, and whilst stored in the plenums its airborne temperature is
naturally reduced by 4 to 5 degrees, compared to the ambient temperature
in the building. Fresh air is then supplied to the rotunda via the sealed
plenum, entering via a series of floor mounted diffuser bins at ground
and mezzanine levels. In the summer, cooling is provided via the heat
exchanger in the rainwater recycling tank. The unsealed plenum air is
used for drawing up across the heating elements of the fan convectors,
utilizing the natural passive movement and making a more efficient use
of the heating system.
