7th March 2022
FarmED and our architects Timothy Tasker Architects Ltd has received the Special Award for Sustainability in the The Civic Trust Award. The Civic Trust Award is the longest standing architectural and built environment awards scheme in Europe and the Special Award is presented to a scheme that has demonstrated excellent sustainability credentials.
This year 45 projects have been selected to receive recognition within the Civic Trust Awards, AABC Conservation Awards and Selwyn Goldsmith Awards, alongside 6 Special Awards recipients that have demonstrated excellence in a specific field:
The Special Award for Sustainability is ‘presented to exemplar project that demonstrates excellent sustainability credentials in terms of overall design parameters, material selection, construction methods and long term energy consumption. Sponsored by Derwent London.’
Here from Ian and architects Tim Tasker and Anthony Carlise in this film created for the announcement of the Civic Trust Awards:
Below is FarmED’s entry in the 2022 Civic Trust Awards Winners Brochure
FarmED
Oxfordshire, South East
FarmED, a sustainable farming education centre in the Cotswolds with the environment and regeneration at its core.
FarmED was established as a demonstration operation to promote regenerative farming techniques to combat climate change, and educate communities about sustainable farming methods. It provides flexible events and conference space for up to 500 participants with all the necessary ancillary spaces including foyer, small office space, bathrooms, meeting room, and boot room.
The U-shaped development comprises three long timber barn-like buildings arranged around a central courtyard, modelled on the traditional farmsteads of the Cotswolds region. The buildings and courtyard were mapped out using the golden ratio to create harmonious proportions and a natural centre for the development, while their orientation and pitched roofs are designed to shelter and protect the centre from strong valley winds.
A large dining hall complete with catering kitchen and central stone pizza oven is home to FarmEAT, the farm’s initiative to educate and encourage local, low carbon eating, and a mezzanine office space for daily operations. The smallest of the three buildings is a micro dairy and tractor store.
Long paved paths neatly aligned with the deep eaves connect the three buildings which open onto the wildflower meadow in the courtyard, an important haven for insects and bees that pollinate the farm’s crops.
The architecture reflects the mission of the centre; sustainable materials, local craftsmanship regeneration and carbon efficiency were central design considerations from the outset. Timothy Tasker Architects utilised research by the University of Bath to ensure the scheme met low to neutral carbon targets in line with FarmED’s theme of regeneration.
Air source heat pumps powered by an onsite solar array provide power for all three buildings, while heat is recovered from as many services as possible helping to ensure the buildings produce more power than they use. Sustainably sourced larch was used for both the internal and external cladding, and the majority of the primary and secondary structure is made from local pine. Over 17 tonnes of carbon was saved by using sheep’s wool insulation instead of rockwool.
A key strategy of the development is the effective recycling and cleaning of rainwater from the roofs and the surrounding landscape. A new reed bed treatment pond south of the new buildings cleans runoff water which then flows down the existing dyke to the natural flood management scheme.
“With the built environment representing circa 40% of the global carbon emissions problem it is imperative, as a sector, we step up to become 40% of the solution. This means playing our part by designing and delivering scheme which within themselves are net zero carbon but in turn allow their users to operate them on a net zero basis as well.
FarmEd has clearly embraced this important new ethic with a forward thinking approach focusing on an all-electric heating and cooling strategy, supported by natural ventilation and daylighting set into a resource efficient, timber and light-weight steel structure.
The project stood out by not only adopting a low carbon approach with a simple yet impactful design but it also showed how a building can support a more thoughtful approach to agriculture.
A great scheme and highly worthy winner.”
John Davies
Head of Sustainability Derwent London
Civic Trust Awards National Judging Panel
Client
Cotswold Seeds Ltd
Architect
Timothy Tasker Architects Ltd
Structural Engineer
OBrien & Price (Cheltenham) Ltd
Main Contractor
Nesbitt Restorations Ltd
Services Engineer
Project Design Services Ltd
Ecologist
Windrush Ecology Ltd
Electrical Engineer
Ian Ridler Electrical Ltd
Associate Architect
Anthony Carlile Architect
Contractor
TNC Renovate Ltd
Glazing Consultant
DG Glass Designs Ltd