St David's Library, Cardiff
Client: St David’s Partnership; Cardiff County Council
Architects: BDP
Sustainability Consultants: BDP
Interior Design: BDP
Structural Engineer: Arup
QS: Gardiner & Theobald
M&E: Foreman Roberts
General Contractor: Laing O'Rourke
Contract value: £15m
As part of the St David's 2 re-development in Cardiff City Centre, Architects and sustainability consultants BDP designed a BREEAM 'Excellent' rated building to house the new 55,000 ft2 Central Library.
The team's design responded to a strong environmental brief from the client: the St David's Partnership (Land Securities / Capital Shopping Centres). A major driver was the Bespoke BREEAM Assessment. Planning conditions required a 'Very Good' rating, however the team were keen to achieve an 'Excellent' rating within budget. By implementing the principles of sustainable design from the early stages – inherently sustainable design rather than 'bolt-on' – the team were able to deliver an 'Excellent' building for minimal cost. (continued below)
 |
'Cardiff Library ...... The Finer Details' (BDP, 2009) Download |
• Click on the thumbnails below to expand images
The external appearance is striking; with coloured panels, and low impact materials being part of its intelligent façade design. Holistic design was practiced from the very earliest conceptual stages, with the building being moulded by energy reduction, glare control and solar protection considerations. The facades incorporate high performance 'spectrally selective' coatings, screen printed panels and solar fins, allowing good daylighting, with reduced solar heat gains/glare.
The structure employs exposed concrete soffits to help achieve a comfortable open plan space, which uses night time cooling to avoid the need for air conditioning. The underside of the roof is lined with sustainable timber panelling and 'glulam' beams. The extensive green roof incorporates local native flora to enhance biodiversity, helps protect the building from summer heat, attenuates over 50% of rainwater run off, and reduces the local urban heat island effect
The services design is simple and robust. Ventilation, heating and night time cooling is achieved by variable speed AHUs containing high efficiency thermal wheels, feeding air into floor voids, where it contacts the concrete structure. Heat rises to the top of the atrium and is either recirculated or exhausted via rooflights during peak temperatures. Originally intended to have a ground source closed loop cooling system – the TAS dynamic thermal analyses predicted the building performed so well without it that the system was not required.
Lighting is via low energy linear T5 fittings, which are, in turn, switched off under daylight control. The carbon emissions calculated under Part L are a very low 19.2 kgCO2/m2. The library also achieves an EPC 'B' rating, which is an excellent result, particularly as it was designed prior to current Building Regulations.