Appointed for the re-design and delivery of detailed construction information to convert an existing 1930s telephone exchange into new headquarters for Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership (CISL) to reuse and repurpose before starting anew. The aim of the refurbishment was to strike a balance between maximizing sustainability whilst also considering the impact on the existing building’s appearance within a conservation area in the heart of Cambridge.

Externally the building envelope was in good order, some repairs were made to rainwater goods and roofs to protect the existing building fabric. Unsympathetic internal additions were stripped back to reveal the steel / concrete frame. Non load bearing partitions were removed to create open plan workspaces such as The Canopy which provides flexible working environments for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The framed superstructure enabled the creation of open-plan, flexible spaces sub-divided with glazed meeting rooms and creative furniture arrangements that encourage and support learning and collaboration. At ground floor a large open plan space facilitates events, seminars, and lectures was implemented.

The requirement to achieve EnerPHit (retrofit equivalent of Passivhaus), BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Gold required replacement of the existing Georgian bar, vertical sliding sash windows (fitted with secondary glazing) to achieve the required thermal and airtightness performances of the EnerPHit standard. By minimizing embodied carbon, maximizing bio-based materials, and reusing existing material, this refurbishment has set the benchmark for sustainable builds.