15 Jul Colchester’s Ingleton Wood puts ‘sustainability at the heart’ of new Roundhouse Works
Colchester-based property and construction consultancy Ingleton Wood achieved an official ‘Excellent’ sustainability accreditation for Roundhouse Works, a new £8 million creative centre to support generations of young people at the iconic London venue.
Camden’s Roundhouse has already equipped thousands of young people with the skills to succeed in the creative industries since 2006 and has developed the new state-of-the-art facility within the Roundhouse site to increase capacity to support 15,000 per year.
Roundhouse Works provides space and facilities to support those aged 18-30 to turn their creativity into a career. The sustainable building includes a large music studio, a triple-height studio for circus and performance, a dedicated podcast studio and other multi-use spaces.
Ingleton Wood was appointed to provide BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) sustainability services, as well as building services design.
The practice achieved the highly sought-after BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability accreditation following the design and installation of solar panels, electric vehicle charging points, LED lighting, automatic lighting controls, and other energy efficiency elements.
Wes Henderson, director of engineering at Ingleton Wood, said: “We are helping to pioneer sustainable developments across the UK and not only will generations of young people benefit from new skills and confidence in this amazing creative space, but they will do so in a building that has sustainability at its heart.
“We used sophisticated dynamic thermal modelling to ensure Roundhouse Works was low energy in operation and the building was created using eco-friendly materials rated either A or A+ under the Green Guide, meaning they have the lowest environmental impact.
“We also achieved an ‘Excellent’ rating for occupant water usage, while a specific focus on indoor air quality and energy recycling was accomplished via heat recovery ventilation and air conditioning systems.
“Our collaborative design teams worked incredibly hard to ensure everything from conception to completion was meticulously implemented within the timescales and budget.”
The creative sector contributed £109 billion to the UK economy in 2021 but faces a significant shortage of skills workers including broadcasting and technology.
Meanwhile, barriers facing young people, particularly those from under-represented socio-economic backgrounds and those who live with disabilities, from entering the creative sector range from insecure work and unpaid internships to inaccessible networking opportunities.
Marcus Davey, chief executive and artistic director of Roundhouse, said: “The UK is in danger of losing a generation of creative talent but the Roundhouse sits in a unique position to combat this.
“We have a track record of equipping young people with the skills to succeed in the arts and creative industries and we also have the connection to industry to open up some of those pathways, removing so many barriers young people face.
“Only by investing in young people can we ensure that the UK reaches its creative potential and Roundhouse Works is a huge step-change for us to achieve this.”
Roundhouse Works is designed by Paddy Dillon architect, with Allies and Morrison and Reed Watts architects. The £8 million cost to create Roundhouse Works was funded by private trusts and individuals with principal support from Inflexion Foundation, Simon Turner and the generous donation of the land from the Norman Trust.
Sir Keir Starmer QC, MP Holborn & St Pancras, officially opened Roundhouse Works and took a tour of the site. He also met several young people who will benefit from the facility.
Sir Keir said: “I’ve always been proud to support the Roundhouse and am consistently impressed by their work to support young people into the creative industries, the leading light of the UK economy.
“Roundhouse Works is a great example of the level of ambition we need across the country to equip the next generation with the skills and support they need to succeed in the arts.”
Roundhouse Works offers affordable membership and financial assistance with other costs such as travel or childcare, as well as holistic support from its in-house youth workers. The creative centre is also forming industry partnerships to aid progression routes into the sector.
Ingleton Wood is one of the largest property and construction consultancies covering East Anglia, Northern England, the Midlands, Central England, London and the South East, with offices in Colchester, Billericay, Cambridge, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford and London.
The practice’s services include architecture, sustainability, building surveying, building services engineering, planning, interior design, civil and structural engineering, quantity surveying, project management, and health and safety.
