High Rise Finalist

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Twinnell House, the high rise tower block refurbishment gcp have been working on for Mears and Bristol City Council, has been shortlisted in the INCA Awards 2016.

This builds on past success for gcp, sps Envirowall and Woodman Brothers - this team won The Insulated Cladding Awards (INCA) in 2014 on the highly commended Junction 3.

Twinnell House, a stones throw from INCA 2014 winner J3, is nominated for Best in External Wall Insulation, Domestic Refurbishment, High Rise. The winners will be announced in a London Gala Dinner in October.

Read the INCA Press Release here.

#AffordableHousing @MendipCouncil

Mendip Affordable Housing Day

Wells Town Hall 21st July 14.00-19.00

gcp will have a stand at this event organised by Mendip District Council presenting our experience and knowledge particularly in the area of sustainable and low energy design. We will be on hand to answer questions show some of our current projects in the area.

Cllr Woollcombe-Adams portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing, said: "This is a great opportunity for people to come along and meet with a range of experts and find out more about a number of elements of affordable housing in one place. It will be a chance to get all those questions answered that people are not sure about.”

http://www.mendip.gov.uk/affordablehousingevent

Prevention Through Design

gcp are currently supporting an international project aimed at reducing occupational injuries and illnesses in the construction industry, led by researchers from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).

Click here to read the full press release from UWE Bristol.

It is estimated that the global construction sector accounts for 100,000 fatalities annually and about 30 to 40 per cent of all fatal occupational injuries. Injuries and new cases of ill health in construction costs society more than £1.1 billion a year in the UK.

The innovative project will focus on improving health and safety through design, which contributes significantly to accidents occurring both during construction works and afterwards.

[...]

The project, funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is being undertaken by an international research team of academics and practitioners from the Health and Safety Executive, Heathrow Airport, Mott MacDonald, Bam Construction Limited, ISG, Nick Bell Risk Consultancy, GCP Architects, Safety in Design, Loughborough University and East Carolina University. The project commences in October and will run for two years.

 

Listed Refurb Setting New Standards

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Architects image of Cambrian House, Clevedon

Cambrian House on Wellington Terrace, Clevedon, is being fully refurbished using a combination of traditional materials and the latest technology to create a modern home for the 21st century.

The house has an integrated but separate fully fitted guest suite at lower ground floor. It boasts four generous reception rooms, a new kitchen diner, three bedrooms (master on suite) at ground and first floors and a large attic bedroom.

This Grade II listed Georgian house with its striking modern extension overlooks Clevedon Pier and Severn Estuary. Currently on site with occupation for Christmas 2016.

RICS Awards: Bristol Water

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gcp are delighted that the recently completed scheme to extend and refurbish Bristol Water’s 1960’s Headquarters Building at Bedminster Down has won an RICS Award.

At the ceremony on 18 May 2016 the building was highly commended in the Commercial Buildings Category.

gcp is currently involved  in a feasibility on a very similar project in central Bristol where a scheme double the size of the building to accommodate 650 staff is being considered.

To discuss your office refurbishment project, please contact Jeremy Pilling.

Bristol Water HQ Deli

Bristol Water - Highly Commended

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Life and Stairwell at Bristol Water HQ

Just last night Bristol Water Headquarters was Highly Commended in the Commercial category of the RICS awards 2016. 

This award honours an outstanding commercial property development whether retail, office, leisure, industrial or mixed use.

It furthers gcp's accolades at this event -  J3 was winner in the Regeneration category last year.

 

2016 RICS Award

What's Your Problem!

gcp new website launch

 

Let us solve your problem: Free Solution Workshop Sessions in May 2016.

Click here to find out more.

 

“gcp’s knowledge, advice and problem-solving processes have been key in supporting Knightstone’s drive to develop high quality, affordable and sustainable low energy buildings that aid the mitigation of fuel poverty and reduce lifecycle maintenance.”
— Parry Morgan, Senior Contract Services Manager, Knightstone Housing

Bristol Water Headquarters nominated for BCO award !

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Reception area at Bristol Water HQ

We are really excited to announce that gcp's extension and refurbishment of the iconic Bristol Water Headquarters building has been nominated for a British Council for Offices Regional Award!

The winner will be announced later this week at the Regional Awards Ceremony.

“We have changed the way we work and are more flexible in how we use our space, much tidier than we used to be and the building seems to have gained the respect of our people as somewhere to enjoy working.”
— Jeff Sell, Senior Project Manager, Bristol Water

BCO Bristol Water Wellbeing Visit

Wellbeing in the workplace is now a hot topic for employers with recent reports showing it is becoming a main board issue with the FD's taking an active interest. The British Council of Offices South West England and South Wales region are visiting the newly refurbished Bristol Water HQ, a project designed and managed by gcp. For more information on how to book go to BCO events.

Bristol Water HQ now Complete

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Deli at Bristol Water HQ

The three-year project to refurbish and extend the Bristol Water headquarters at Bedminster Down is now finished. Bristol Water wanted to rationalise its building stock by disposing of the Bedminster Down Depot site and relocating around 150 staff to its head office. gcp initially prepared a feasibility for the project and, with staff in-situ, the iconic 1936 structure was over-clad and re-roofed before a two-storey wing was added, supported on tapering columns over the rear car park. This enabled a progressive decanting process so that the entire building could be re-serviced and re-furbished without the need for temporary accommodation.
 
The upgraded facility boasts a new atrium café, computer suite and reception area as well as redesigned open-plan office accommodation with flexible workplace settings. Thomas Vale Construction (now part of Bouygues-uk) carried out the construction works.

gcp were architects for Bristol Water throughout the design phase of the project and architects for the contractor during construction.

For more information on this project, please click here.

Image: Story Photography

Boost for South Bristol

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Filwood Green Business Park opens in Green Capital Year

Filwood Green Business Park is a flagship project for Bristol as European Green Capital 2015. It provides a new sustainable home for small and medium sized businesses, with 40,000 sq ft of workshop and office space. Since completion earlier this year, the BREEAM ‘Oustanding’ Filwood Green Business Park has won the 2degrees ‘Best New Building’ award 2015 and the Bristol Post's 'Eco Green Building' award.

gcp were appointed architects for the construction stages of this project by Midas Construction Ltd.

The £12M Green Business Park achieves the first-ever BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating for an industrial building in the South West. This state-of-the-art resource is designed to boost economic prosperity in this part of the city. Built for the community, it complements other local facilities in Filwood and Hengrove.

It was officially opened by Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson in a colourful ceremony in May this year.

For more information on gcp's commercial experience please contact Jeremy Pilling.

Image: Julian James Photography

We are Principal Designers

gcp Consulting now offer Principal Designer services as an extension of our existing CHAS Accredited Health and Safety Systems.

The CDM Regulations 2015 have removed the role of CDM Coordinator and replaced this with a new role of Principal Designer. This now places a duty on the client to appoint a Principal Designer for any notificable project.

Please contact Colin Powell if you would like to know more.

Bringing PassivHaus to West Somerset

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Image: Townsend Farm Carhampton

gcp are responsible for the detailed design of 20 PassivHaus homes under construction in Carhampton for Hastoe Housing Association and delivered by Halsall Construction.

The development, due for completion next summer, incorporates highly efficient building fabric, a PassivHaus certified heat recovery ventilation system and solar thermal roof panels. Thanks to this, the occupants will enjoy a comfortable healthy living environment and benefit from reduced energy bills.

If you would like to learn more about this scheme and our Passivhaus design services, please contact Colin Powell.
 

Social Innovation in Community Energy

Hosted by Low Carbon South West, gcp presented the Greenway Centre Solar project in Southmead at the ‘Social Innovations in Community Energy’ event in July 2015. 

The event involved some interesting discussion and it will be interesting to see how solar power companies respond to the up to 87% reduction in Feed In Tariff (FIT) to come into effect in January 2016.

Greenway Centre will have their 90kW solar panel array completed by mid-December 2015 thanks to an installation by Your Power.

Need to know: Changes to Building Regs

Changes to Building Regulations for new dwellings came into effect from 1st October 2015.
 
Part G: Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency
The water consumption standard is unchanged at 125 litres/person/day unless a planning condition specifies the optional reduced water consumption of 110 litres/person/day. The building control final certificate is required to discharge the planning condition.
gcp Consulting can prepare water efficiency calculations to demonstrate water consumption for your developments.
 
Part M: Access to and use of buildings
The new Volume 1 is applicable to new dwellings. Volume 2, with unchanged requirements from Part M 2013, is applicable to buildings other than dwellings. Volume 1 is split into three categories:
1 – Visitable dwellings – similar to the requirements of Part M 2013.
2 – Accessible and adaptable dwellings – similar to the requirements of Lifetime Homes.
3 – Wheelchair user dwellings – similar to the requirements of the Wheelchair Housing Design Guide.
 
Categories 2 and 3 are optional levels which can be specified as a planning condition. The building control final certificate is required to discharge the planning condition.
 
Part Q: Security – Dwellings
External doors and windows and openings, from communal parts of a building to a dwelling, are required to be sufficiently robust and fitted with appropriate hardware to resist physical attack by a casual or opportunist burglar. Doorsets and windows meeting PAS24:2012 will meet the requirement. This is in line with the relevant parts of Secured by Design New Homes 2014 Section 2.
 
In addition …
Where local authorities choose to adopt a space standard for new homes, it must be the new Nationally Described Space Standard.

If you would like to learn more about the services we offer through gcp Consulting, please contact Jon Briscoe.

A Community in Transition

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gcp have submitted a planning application on behalf of Ambition Lawrence Weston for a Community Hub.
 
Lawrence Weston Community Hub is a 'bottom-up' community-led development. It incorporates a doctors' surgery, pharmacy, café, library, studios, space for other health and council services, small businesses and a crèche.
 
Ambition Lawrence Weston is a resident-led Development Trust, established as part of the Community Planning process. Within the Community Plan, completed in 2013, residents expressed a desire for a new community facility.  With funding support from the HCA and SIB, the project has developed in close consultation with local people.
 
The Hub incorporates a fabric-first, low energy approach, reducing running costs for the future. The project is now part of the NHS future plan for primary care in North Bristol. A planning decision is due at the beginning of July 2015.
 
If you would like more information please contact Jonathan Platt.