Sky: educational building showcases certified timber
The first multi-storey timber commercial office in the UK, the educational facility demonstrates the use of offsite prefabrication and timber construction.
Sky: educational building showcases certified timber
11 February 2021 Sustainable construction
At its headquarters in West London, satellite broadcaster Sky has built a new educational facility using PEFC-certified engineered timber. Under the banner of Believe in Better Buildings (BiBB), the building reflects the company’s sustainable aspirations.
The first multi-storey timber commercial office in the UK, it demonstrates the use of offsite prefabrication and timber construction to achieve a unique workplace in half the normal construction time.
Speedy, easy and sustainable construction thanks to engineered timber
The 3,800 m2 development encompasses a three-storey linear building with an additional storey housing a restaurant and a roof terrace, all providing an inviting multi-functional amenity.
Sustainability, speed and ease of construction were the driving factors in this project. B&K Structures provided an optimised hybrid structure for the build, comprising a glued laminated timber (glulam) frame with cross laminated timber (CLT) floor, roof and stability walls, together with perimeter wall cassettes – all PEFC certified.
The structure was designed to deliver permanent quality, adaptability and long-term energy efficiency, to meet Sky’s sustainability objectives.
Sky’s own sustainability strategy shaped the building’s philosophy. The targets included a 15% reduction in embodied carbon of construction, 27% of recycled content, responsible sourcing of materials through PEFC-certified timber and 80% of key materials by mass manufacture within a given radius, depending on density.
The solid timber frame gives the natural look and feel that Sky required, and timber cassettes offer the low thermal resistance and high airtightness that the structure demanded to meet the challenging design brief. The building incorporates sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting systems, solar panels and high efficiency lighting to minimise energy consumption, and was awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Photo credits: B&K Structures