The thermal images below show the extent of the heat that is currently being lost through the poorly insulated façade of the Lasdun Wall. The proposals will enable the historic fabric of the spandrel panels to be retained whilst also achieving 85% improvement in thermal performance. The required improvement in thermal performance will be achieved through the application of insulation to the rear of the original panels and replacement of the single glazed windows with thermally efficient glazing carefully designed to resemble the original design. The refurbishment will also enable the future use of low and zero carbon technology and energy efficient services.

UEA declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in June 2019, and has set clear targets for achieving an 80% reduction in operational carbon by 2030 and reaching Net Zero Carbon by 2045. The University has set targets which exceed the legal requirements which must be achieved by 2050 and has pledged not to rely on off-setting.

The charts below show the 2030 target against the current carbon emissions from campus buildings and the enormous reduction in heating demand that will be achieved by improving the thermal performance of the Lasdun Wall buildings by 85%.

Every tonne of carbon in construction processes introduces more carbon that needs to be removed or offset. Retaining and refurbishing the Lasdun Wall will significantly reduce consumption of raw materials when compared with building new facilities. By enabling the Lasdun Wall to provide modern scientific research facilities and excellent learning spaces we will retain a high volume of already embedded carbon.

85% improvement in thermal performance over baseline reducing operational energy and carbon. Use of low / zero carbon technology and energy efficient services. Embodied carbon reduction from retaining existing fabric.

The UEA’s 145-hectare campus supports over 5,700 species and is a substantial part of Norwich’s green infrastructure. The project will actively deliver a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain through campus-wide initiatives.

The project will actively design out waste and implement a waste hierarchy to reduce construction and operational waste. The project will ensure responsible and sustainable choices in material selection.