Michael Ashcroft Building, Anglia Polytechnic University
DATE 2000-2003
ARCHITECTS Wilkinson Eyre Architects
PROJECT STATUS Completed 2003
PROJECT VALUE £ 7m
This new business school is a key component of the developing APU Campus in Chelmsford, which is the house to a number of landmark low energy buildings.
The building incorporates a new auditorium, linking the Business school to the existing naturally ventilated library and refectory, which is conditioned by an underfloor displacement system incorporating adiabatic (indirect evaporative) cooling. The main teaching rooms and study spaces are heated, cooled and ventilated by a Termodeck passive slab ventilation system also supplied for heat recovery ventilation plant with adiabatic cooling.
The south facade is shaded by external blinds within a climate wall that acts as a preheat chimney to incoming fresh air in winter and as a solar gain vent in summer. Blinds within the climate wall are automatically controlled to optimise daylight and minimise solar gain. Lighting is controlled throughout by daylight control dimmers so that only the minimum amount of artificial lighting energy is required.
