Last updated: November 2021
The project involves the BBC Drama Village - a combination of studios and stores with associated offices and technical suites. It was the requirement for all buildings to achieve a BREEAM Excellent standard (ref 1). GreenBlue Urban structural RootCell systems were used for this development to create adequate tree root volumes, to ensure optimum tree establishment and growth in a demanding coastal location (ref 2). A Living Wall has been made which has a number of functions including the provision of a new home for solitary bees, lacewings and other invertebrates. A rainwater harvesting system has been installed (ref 1). Speaking generally, the studio, stores and office amounted to over 18,000 square meters and 900 new meters of HV, gas water drainage and telecoms (ref 1). Areas of eco-design include transportation, energy efficiency, water efficiency, materials, indoor environmental quality, waste reduction and biodiversity (ref 1).
BBC Roath Lock Studios (2015)
GreenBlue Urban Ltd., retrieved 08/15/2018 from Louise Page
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green walls or facades
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
- Green parking lots
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Climate change mitigation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Improvements to water quality
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Waste management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Conversion of former industrial areas
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of semi-natural blue areas, Maintenance and management of urban nature, Transformation of previously derelict areas
Project objectives
The goals when building the BBC Roath Lock studios include (ref 1):
1. All buildings to achieve a BREEAM Excellent standard.
2. Urban and climatic conditions appropriate trees and plants to be planted
3. A rainwater harvesting system on average to supply water to the WCs and decrease the cold water demand.
4. Enhance or create 'green' transport links (i.e. cycling).
5. Reduce electricity consumption and carbon emissions from electrical elements.
6. Supplement water consumption through sustainable means.
7. Utilize sustainable materials in the building of facilities.
8. Improve indoor environmental quality.
9. Reduce waste across the facilities.
10. Enhance local biodiversity.
Implementation activities
1. Creation of The Living Wall for the provision of new home for solitary bees, lacewings and other invertebrates. (ref 1)-- Development of a living wall that is 120 metres long 6.5m high wall to the South of the BBC building (ref 1).
2. Recycled Rainwater was harvested on site and used for flushing toilets and irrigation to the Living Wall, via a drip irrigation system (ref 1)
3. Provision of 50kW of photovoltaic (ref 1)
4. CHP plant, Solar Hot Water System, heat recovery heating and cooling, automated lighting, sub-metering/reporting, energy-efficient elevators, building air tightness (ref 1).
5. 8,000 cubic meters of recycled aggregate used for roads, 63% of plasterboard from re-cycled materials (ref 1).
6. Reduced indoor VOC emissions (ref 1).
7. 96% of waste produced was diverted from landfills (ref 1).
8. GreenBlue Urban structural RootCell systems were used for this development to create adequate tree root volumes, to ensure optimum tree establishment and growth in a demanding coastal location (ref 2).
9. the studio, stores and office amounted to over 18,000 square meters and 900 new meters of HV, gas water drainageand telecoms (ref 1).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
- Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation
- Implement sustainable urban drainage infrastructure (e.g. to make space for water)
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
- Install vertical or horizontal artificial surfaces that help with carbon storage and cooling
- Invest in public transport/bicycle infrastructure as a means to prevent car use
Main beneficiaries
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Unknown
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Client is the BBC Drama Village - a combination of studios and stores with associated offices and technical suites (Ref 1)
Project team details (ref 1)
1. Employer; igloo Regeneration
2. Project Manager; Davis Langdon
3. Quantity Surveyor; Gardiner and Theobald
4. Architect up to Stage D; FAT Architects
5. Architect post Stage D; HMA
6. Consulting Structural Engineer; Bay Associates
7. Consultant Services Engineer; Arup
8. Landscape and Public Realm Architect; LDA Design
9. Bridge Engineers; Flint & Neill
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
No
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Reduced emissions
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Improved waste management
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
- Increased green space area
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Increase of green jobs (e.g. paid employment positions)
- Increased property prices
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Education
- Increased support for education and scientific research
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. UK green Building Council. (No date). Project Case Study BBC Drama Production Village. [Available at: Source link. [Accessed on: Jul 9 2020].
2. GreenBlue Urban. (No date). BBC Roath Lock. [Available at: Source link. [Accessed on Jul 9 2020].
3. GreenBlue Urban. (No date). Design Guide – Trees in the urban environment (Edition 8). Page 171. [Available at: Source link. [Accessed on Jul 9 2020].
4. UK green Building Council. (No date). Case Study igloo Regeneration: BBC Drama Production Village. [Website not available in 2020).
2. GreenBlue Urban. (No date). BBC Roath Lock. [Available at: Source link. [Accessed on Jul 9 2020].
3. GreenBlue Urban. (No date). Design Guide – Trees in the urban environment (Edition 8). Page 171. [Available at: Source link. [Accessed on Jul 9 2020].
4. UK green Building Council. (No date). Case Study igloo Regeneration: BBC Drama Production Village. [Website not available in 2020).
BBC Roath Lock Studios (2012)
GreenBlue Urban Ltd., retrieved 08/15/2018 from Louise Page
BBC Roath Lock Studios (2015)
GreenBlue Urban Ltd., retrieved 08/15/2018 from Louise Page