SKELTON GRANGE

Client: BTCV Skelton Project
Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Winner of a Leeds Award for Architecture, and commended by the Civic Trust, this timber-framed building was conceived of as a showcase for sustainability; from its design and construction through to the ongoing educational services it provides for young people. Largely prefabricated off-site – and constructed in 21 weeks – it consists of a central core of teaching accommodation, offices and utilities, with fully-glazed buffer zones on the perimeter providing additional workshop and exhibition space. The building supplies 95% of its own energy needs through alternative strategies, most notably a geothermal and solar heating system powered by roof-mounted photovoltaic panels and a wind turbine. It also utilises recycled rainwater and a variety of insulation materials, including dried grass, Phenolic Foam and Argon filled double glazing units.