Horizon House, Bristol

Having a minimal impact on the environment was always going to be a high priority for the Environment Agency’s HQ and with a BREEAM rating of 85%, this is a truly sustainable building.

The post-tensioned concrete frame provides high thermal mass and a low carbon impact over the whole life of the building. All concrete for the frame was locally sourced and certified to the responsible sourcing standard BES 6001.

From the very start of the project, 85% of the building that formerly occupied the site was recycled, with the demolished concrete being crushed and graded and then re-used for Horizon House’s sub-base.

The 6,600m² office building is part of a larger, mixed-use development in the centre of Bristol. Its Bath stone and bronze panelled facade has a structural stained glass entrance by the artist Kate Maestri, which provides a dynamic new street frontage. The office space is predominately open plan, based around a five-storey atrium.

The aim of the developer and design team was to go beyond the 70% score for an Excellent BREEAM rating. The building achieved an unprecedented 85.06%.

Image credits: Simon Doling and Marcus Ginns