Internal View - Wexford County Council HQ

Project Team:

Client: Wexford County Council

Architect: NORD Architecture in association with Arthur Gibney & Partners Buro Happold services: Building services, building structures, acoustic engineering, façade engineering, CoSA (computational simulation and analysis), FEDRA (fire engineering), SAT (Sustainability and Alternative Technologies).

Main contractor: Pierse

Work is to commence shortly on the site of the new Wexford County Council headquarters. The project was designed by Scottish Architect NORD Architecture and consulting engineers, Buro Happold.

The project is set to become a beacon of sustainable design and energy efficiency, utilizing a variety renewable technologies and natural ventilation techniques, and has received a BREEAM Excellent Rating.

The form of the building has been designed to optimise energy efficiency, with a double façade tempering incoming air. The glass panels in the outer layer will filter unwanted solar energy, while the double-glazed windows in the inner wall operate horizontally, to maximise air infiltration and exfiltration. The cavity will also incorporate a walkway to facilitate cleaning.

The layout for the offices features a single facility with six buildings around a public internal street, creating a 'townscape' which is both open and easy for visitors to navigate.

Courtyards landscaped with indigenous plants bring natural light and ventilation to all spaces, and connect with the countryside beyond, while hard surfaces are cut from local stone.

Considerable care has been taken to minimize energy use and a glass rain screen will surround the building, which will act as a buffer space and thermal wrapper. This will capture solar energy as well, raising the temperature 5 to 10°C above the external temperature, reducing heat loss and pre-heating incoming air.

"The design takes into account both the programmatic and architectural complexities of a contemporary council headquarters, while integrating a strong sustainable environmental strategy," according to Robin Lee of NORD Architecture.

The building is scheduled to open in summer 2009.