News
May 2012
The Sill
Congratulations to the Northumberland National Park and YHA who have secured Heritage Lottery Fund support for the Landscape Discovery Centre at Hadrian’s Wall. Leda worked on the initial feasibility design stage for this project and helped the client with their lottery fund application.
April 2012
Ampleforth College
The process has begun of replacing the ageing and leaking three x 3000 litre hot water storage cylinders at Ampleforth College with a new instantaneous plate heat exchanger system. Anticipated completion of works is two months.
http://www.college.ampleforth.org.uk/
HEART
Leda are thrilled that Headingley Enterprise and Arts Centre has been shortlisted for either a RIBA Award or RIBA Yorkshire Regional Award. These Awards are given for buildings that have made a substantial contribution to the local environment.
March 2012
Zero Carbon House
Named as a 2012 winner in the Civic Trust Awards announced 4th March 2012, see http://www.civictrustawards.org.uk/winners/2012/CTA006751/
The house also features as a case study in two recent books:
Martin Cook Zero Carbon House – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zero-Carbon-House-Martin-Godfrey-Cook/dp/1847972624 and Dr Lubo Jankovic Designing Zero Carbon Buildings Using Dynamic Simulation Methods – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Designing-Buildings-Dynamic-Simulation-ebook/dp/B0073UW92W
October 2011
Swedish Passivhus Centrum
Jonathan Lindh and James Haigh of LEDA ltd. have visited the Swedish Passivhus Centrum in Alingsas to meet with centre manager Carlos Andersson and assistant Anna Urombi. The centre has an ambitious programme to promote
the passivhaus concept in Sweden and to have it integrated into the building regulations in Sweden as the base standard for all new buildings. Courses providing certification for builders in Passivhaus techniques as well as range of other programmes for architects, politicians and members of the public. The visit confirmed the importance of passivhaus as a key guiding concept towards achieving sustainable buildings that perform as intended. The Passivhus Centrum is broadening its outlook to include all aspects of sustainable building design and construction including materials impacts, pollution, water conservation etc. This provides and interesting comparison with the UK where the recent discovery (through in depth studies such as the Stamford Brook study) that many of our new buildings do not perform as predicted has led many to focus attention on ensuring we are reducing our building’s energy consumption in practice and adopting passivhaus the method achieve this aim. A subsequent visit to the ongoing passivhaus retrofit of the Brogarden early 1970′shousing scheme showed how political will to see passivhuas rolled out on a larger scale will result in the transformation of 300 apartments with payback in energy running cost savings in less than ten years for the additional insulation measures.
See the contractors website for more information http://www.skanska.se/sv/Projekt/Visa-projekt/?pid=1113 and here for The Passivhus Centrum http://www.passivhuscentrum.se/en/about-passivhuscentrum
Futures North
Matthew Hill will be delivering a workshop session at Futures North in the communities strand. This second Futures North, taking place on 2nd November, at HUBS in Sheffield, Futures North will be about setting new directions.
Matthew’s workshop will be on How to shrink your Carbon Footprint and will explore how your co-op can reduce Carbon emissions from its premises, processes and transportation.
September 2011
International Bioenergy Days 27-28th
Directors Jonathan Lindh and James Haigh will be playing a part in this years International Bio Energy Days next week in Sweden. Jonathan will be delivering a talk on Sustainable Construction in the UK.
Lecture Synopsis:
The UK has only begun to seriously address issues of energy and sustainability in the last 15 years. There is now much interest in the European passivhaus standard as it is perhaps more straightforward and more accurate in results than the comparable standards promoted by the BRE in the UK (BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes). The talk will look at the merits of the approaches and give insight into some of the challenges experienced in the UK of achieving low energy and sustainable buildings.
Further details on the conference http://ibed.entailer.com/en/
August 2011
Bradford Cathedral
Bradford Cathedral has become the first in the UK to install solar panels in its roof.
Forty two solar panels will be fitted to the south aisle roof, covering an area of 70 sq m (753 sq ft). It is hoped the solar panels will save the Church of England thousands of pounds in future years.
LEDA provided advice for this venture including review the quotation, liaising with cathedral architects and assisted them in getting approval and selecting the right installation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-14672967
The Bursar’s Review
How big is your school’s carbon Footprint ?
Matthew Hill’s article from The Bursar’s Review Summer 2011
Now available in downloadable resources
Planning Permission granted for photovoltaic panel installation at Dales’ Authority headquarters.
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority have granted planning permission for the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of their own office building at Bainbridge. The Authority appointed LEDA to design and project manage this scheme, and were looking for a scheme that would be an example of best practice in the national park. LEDA have selected a “Kioto black/black” photovoltaic panel to blend in with the Welsh slate roof of the building
Planning appeal won on historic church conversion in the North York Moors National Park
LEDA have been successful with the appeal against the refusal to grant planning permission by the North York Moors National Park Authority for the application to convert the historic Grade II* St. Aidans Church into a holiday let property. The proposals consist of a sensitive treatment of the listed interior facilitated by a new extension that contains the required amenities to make the building habitable. The church was designed by the gothic revival architect Temple Lushington Moore whilst he was effectively running the practice of Giles Gilbert Scott in 1886. It is his first complete church design as sole author and the building is relatively untouched since built.
The appeals inspector praised the design approach of a modern contemporary extension clad in treated zinc and the retention of all the main original features of the interior. The extension will be designed to perform to passivhaus standards and the existing church chimney will be redeployed to allow a high efficiency wood stove to heat the main church as well as the roof being super insulated and a triple glazed internal screen added to the existing main entrance. The local bio-diversity is increased with a sedum covered roof and the existing long-eared bats in the roof (not the belfry!) will be accommodated with various access points when the existing roof is re-tiled.
June 2011
York Design Awards 2011
The new Nursery at Bootham Junior School, York has won the York Design Award 2011 in the New Build – Non-residential Community / Public category. Presented by the Lady Mayoress of York, Jane Horton at the awards ceremony held in the Berrick Saul Building at the University of York on 30th June 2011, the aim of the Awards is to encourage and promote excellence in design and conservation, striving for the highest standards which will delight present and future generations.
The project at Bootham Junior School Nurser, to which LEDA provided full Mechanical and Electrical services, consists of an extension to the recently-built junior school with an energy-neutral design that combines simplicity, functionality and architectural modesty. The brief required high standards of energy efficiency and an unobtrusive extension to an existing building.
Project Diamond Jubilee Re-opening
The Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward, officially reopened refurbished Kirton in Lindsey town hall, in North Lincolnshire, welcomed by children from local schools who performed alongside a string quartet.
The 114-year-old Kirton in Lindsey Diamond Jubilee Town Hall has been restored to include modern facilities and access to wheelchair users, costing £932,500 and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Local residents and businesses have been supporting the restoration work.
After unveiling the new town hall plaque, he said: “I want to thank everyone for their effort in turning this idea into a reality. This is something you care passionately about and that comes across.
“This is your hall and you have to make the most of it. I hope it will be a valuable asset to the community.”
Penelope Hoey and Jennifer Cripps were awarded MBEs for their work in renovating the hall, and they were at the royal opening yesterday.
Penelope said: “We consider it very fitting that this hall, which was built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, was reopened by her great great great grandson.
“I would like to thank Prince Edward very sincerely for reopening our town hall.”
LEDA worked as the Building Services Engineers and Environmental Performance Consultants to the client, providing a number of systems to suit diverse occupancy patterns, minimise energy-in-use and enhance comfort levels. These included low-impact lighting, heat recovery ventilation and combined high radiant/convective multi-zoned heating (with condensing gas boiler sources).
May 2011
BIOFUEL BY BARGE
Low carbon heating – not just HOT AIRE.
A new initiative is exploring the exciting prospect of bringing bio fuels to the Aire Valley by barge. A joint venture headed by local sustainable design practice LEDA Ltd. brings together transport, social enterprise, and expert technology from Sweden to introduce and promote biomass transport on the Leeds Liverpool Canal and Aire and Calder Navigation waterways. ‘Biofuel by Barge’ offers reduction in biomass fuel transport, CO2 emissions and road transport congestion.
Read the Full Aire Valley Article
April 2011
Bent Lane Low Carbon House
Our clients held and open day for neighbours and well wishers as their new house reaches completion. The solar gains had kept the house at a steady 18-19 deg. C over the past sunshine filled weeks even without the the additional heat source of daily occupancy as the kitchen is still to be fitted. The calm and fresh atmosphere inside the house was much enjoyed by all as well as the high standard of finish throughout. We look forward to being able to bring you fully completed photos soon as well as feedback on the energy and comfort performance of this passivhaus inspired project.
March 2011
Global Service Jam | Leeds
LEDA architect director Jonathan Lindh took part in the Global Service Jam – taking place simultaneously in nearly 50 cities around the globe over a period of 48 hours. The event was an opportunity to play with and learn more about Service Design http://gsjleeds.wordpress.com/ a new and dynamic way of designing services especially relevant in our turbulent and uncertain times. Have a look at the results here. http://planet.globalservicejam.org/content/gsjleeds-lets-walk
Ways of Hearing
is a programme of research and knowledge exchange focussing on sound, the environment and listening. LEDA architect director, Jonathan Lind is joining practitioners from various backgrounds including artists, engineers, and designers taking part in the programme based in Leeds, Bristol and London. The research developed will become part of a new archive of current practice in this field. Regional partners for the Ways of Hearing include Opera North and Lumen (Leeds), Musarc (London) and Arnolfini and The Architecture Centre (Bristol).The programme has been set up by Sound and Music in London and Sue Ball from MAP in Leeds and seeks to open up interdisciplinary dialogue and practices in the diverse field of listening, sound and city design.
February 2011
Headingley Centre Opens
The former Headingley primary school, which has been refurbished as a community run enterprise and arts centre had its formal opening ceremony on February 21st. Leeds City Council handed the building over to Headingley Development Trust, a group set up by local residents, who managed to raise a million pounds to carry out the refurbishment.
LEDA were appointed as environmental and building services consultants and worked with Leeds architects Brewster Bye on the project. The finished building, which includes solar renewable installations and intelligent building controls, has been well received by the community, and LEDA’s lighting designs have been marked out for special praise.
Read the Yorkshire Evening Post Article
Yarm School Progressing
Work on a new teaching block and performance space at Yarm School is progressing quickly as contractors try to catch up after the delays caused by bad weather at the end of last year. You can see day by day progress on the time lapse camera on the school’s website
http://www.yarmschool.org/general-information/redevelopment/time-lapse-camera/
LEDA are providing a full mechanical and electrical design service for this £8million project, which includes an open loop heat pump linked directly to the River Tees.
Heat Pumps fitted for Trinity Church
Ground source heat pumps have been fitted on time to meet the deadline imposed by the Low Carbon Buildings Programme grant funding.
The boreholes for the external pipework were drilled before Christmas.
LEDA have become involved with a wider range of faith projects over the last couple of years, including services designs for two new convents and a Christian rehabilitation centre for young drug offenders, and advice to Churches on installing photovoltaic panels.
Grassington Biomass Project
The wood chip boiler installation which LEDA designed and project managed at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s offices at Grassington has been used as a case study by the Forestry Commission and received an award at the 2010 Microgeneration Awards.
The new heating system has been running smoothly for just over a year and LEDA have now certified the end of defects for the project.
