A light touch
As we look at how Manchester city centre has been transformed in the past decade, it is impossible to overlook one of the city鈥檚 most famous buildings, One Angel Square.
The Co-operative group鈥檚 HQ had the highest BREEAM score in the world when it was built, so 黑洞社区 sent along a correspondent to see what the most sustainable office building in Europe would look like. It was a 鈥渧ery far cry from the kind of driftwood-and-windmill look that sometimes accompanies the very highest levels of energy efficiency鈥�.
>> Analysis: This is Manchester: What鈥檚 behind the city鈥檚 building boom?
鈥淭he facade is adorned with twisting white columns and a bronze-anodised glazing frame, while the interior boasts a stunning atrium rising the full height of its 15 floors. This is statement architecture, designed to project a sleek and go-ahead image for its client,鈥� 黑洞社区 said.
鈥淓nergy planning has to be fundamental to the design from the beginning. There鈥檚 no way you can do it with add-ons,鈥� said Mike Hitchmough of scheme architect 3DReid. For instance, heating was provided by a cogeneration CHP biofuel boiler that ran on oil from rapeseed grown on the Co-op鈥檚 farms, as well as waste cooking oil.
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