Brierley Hill Health Centre

This project is a new 118,000 ft² health centre including doctor’s primary care practices, dental practices, pharmaceutical, opticians and other retail including an underground car park.

It was originally envisaged that this facility would be a fully mechanically ventilated building, at the early stages of the design Elementa carefully analysed the layout and room adjacencies to determine whether the reliance on full mechanical ventilation was necessary.

Detailed thermal modelling demonstrated that by re-arranging internal spaces, 50% of the building could be naturally ventilated. This resulted in significant capital cost reduction, an improved internal environment for users, reduction in plant space and major savings in maintenance and life–cycle costs. This project went on to win the Design Award at the National LIFT Awards.

Our work on this project included provision of all mechanical, electrical and above-ground-drainage design. Energy saving strategies included low energy lighting and maximisation of natural daylight; dynamic thermal modelling to utilise the form of the building; and a natural ventilation strategy that ensured the building complied with the NHS’s stringent internal environment policy.