PEARL took top prize for ‘Environmental Sustainability’ and was shortlisted in the ‘Education’ category at the NLA (New London Architects) 2022 Awards.
'Lean','Clean','Green'
PEARL is UCL’s first ‘Net Zero Carbon’ building in use and is built in Dagenham. The design ethos of ‘Lean, Clean, Green’ is evident throughout, and was key in earning accolades. The materials, construction, and research function align to create a building that is incredibly ‘lean’ and efficient. The foundations, slab, structural frame and long span high insulation cladding system were all designed to minimise carbon-services. High-quality reused and recyclable materials were used in the structure and the furniture to minimise waste. Air-source heat pumps provide ‘clean’ renewable energy and empower seasonal switching between heating and cooling. The low water-demand from the building reduced the overall heat required. The full span of Solar PV is a ‘green’ roof that provides more energy than the building needs, and supplies the excess to the neighbouring business park. Professor Tyler welcomed the acknowledgement of PEARL’s performance “I’m delighted that our efforts to set a precedent to create net-zero buildings have been recognised by the professional community in London”.
PEARL caught the judges' eyes
PEARL has resonated with the judges at NLA and matches their own vision for what makes a brilliant building. The organisation describes itself as “…the world’s leading centre for excellence for the built environment. Our purpose is to improve the quality of people’s lives by making London a better place to live, work and visit”. The award is the second in a month for PEARL, which was recognised as the ‘Net Zero Project of the Year’ at the Building Awards on 1 November. PEARL has earned ‘Outstanding’, the highest rating from the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Record (BREEAM) and has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘A+’. The site is set to recoup the emissions cost of building it. It is zero net negative carbon when measured under regulated use. It is predicted remain net negative carbon when in full unregulated use during research.
Aiming High
The facility’s objective is to create a world where everyone can experience an improved quality of life through better design of the environment, using an evidence-based understanding of how people interact with it, for a more accessible and sustainable future. PEARL was envisioned by Professor Nick Tyler of UCL’s Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering, as a “building to house the world”. With a floor area of approx. 4,000m², a volume of 44,000m³, and ten metres high, the laboratory space has been designed and engineered with 40m clear structural spans to house hugely varied research experiments. Equipped with indoor ambient environments and sound systems, the laboratory can test the impact of ‘real life’ environmental conditions, such as lighting, smell, touch and sound on people’s behaviour and perception.
Making in Dagenham
PEARL aims to be a hub for the local community and is already working closely with multiple schools and colleges across the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. In this respect it is another entry in the story of UCL as a university open to all regardless of background, which is it's founding mission. PEARL has a strong focus on community connections and a community focused approach to research, and on regional labour and apprenticeships on site.
UCL was represented at the NLA Awards on 29 November by Professor Nick Tyler and Barbara Pizzileo, the Strategic Partnerships and Operations Manager for the University.
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