Terrapin takes zero carbon goal offsite

Offsite construction takes a big step towards zero carbon buildings with Terrapin's Hybred concept.

The Hybred concept - jointly developed with engineers from Oxford Brookes University - aims to exceed all foreseeable UK environmental codes and regulations with high performance modular building systems that can be adapted to emerging cladding technologies.

Terrapin unveiled Hybred at Futurebuild 2009, and is now consulting with specifiers, end users and others in the offsite building chain to turn the concept into reality.

Richard Macdonald, Sales and Marketing Director at Terrapin, says Hybred underpins the next generation of Terrapin low carbon modular building solutions.

He says: "It provides a development base for our existing offsite building systems - Unitrex (panelised) and Prospex (modular) - to meet more demanding regulatory performance targets in the future.

Hybred also enables us to develop a new offsite building system for permanent and temporary structures based around an extremely robust structural frame which can be stacked to provide multi-storey buildings and can be 'clothed' to meet a huge variety of functional, performance and aesthetic criteria".

With a 60 year track record, Terrapin is a dominant player in offsite building, specialising in solutions for projects such as hotels, prisons, hospitals, schools, offices and apartments - where construction efficiency and low carbon considerations are already significant requirements.

Given the projected future climate of warmer summers, milder winters and more frequent extreme weather events, the thermal comfort challenge in building design will be cooling rather than heating, says Richard Macdonald.

"Terrapin Hybred can be adapted to use natural cooling methods by taking advantage of ground thermal storage beneath its footprint.

Glazing can be full height, and cladding can be designed to optimise insulation levels so as to reduce heat loads.

Flexibility of window placement and openings, combined with integrated solar control, means that passive solar heating can be utilised and passive cooling is a real option in the summer months".

Richard Macdonald says: "Currently, Terrapin solutions exceed the requirements of Building Regulations Part L (Conservation of Heat and Power - 2006).

There are major changes ahead for 2010 and 2013 involving significant reductions in carbon emissions for both dwellings and non-domestic buildings.

For dwellings, the Code for Sustainable Homes sets a clear target for zero carbon by 2016.

It is likely that a similar target will be set for non-domestic buildings for 2019.

"The Hybred project should ensure that Terrapin stays ahead of future regulatory changes, assuring occupiers that whilst continuing to enjoy the established benefits derived from an offsite produced solution, they are getting superior performance and low running costs within an environmentally responsible building.

Wherever possible, the new technologies developed within Terrapin Hybred will also be applied to our existing building systems".

Adaptable cladding solutions proposed for Terrapin Hybred are central to the concept, says Richard Macdonald.

"Cladding is the primary climate modifier and must be optimised for the conditions to minimise use of heating or cooling throughout the year.

With advanced dynamic simulation and numerical modelling based on real weather data we are able to predict and optimise a building's performance.

And we can also consider integrating building services such as solar photovoltaics and passive ventilation into the building fabric, rather than as 'add-ons' after construction".

Terrapin Hybred addresses: insulation, thermal bridging, cooling, ventilation, airtightness, natural daylight, glazing, solar control, renewable energy technology, solar heating, and intelligent building management systems - all with the assurance of quality workmanship from a non-weather dependent factory production line.

"Traditional building methods will struggle to meet the more demanding standards set by Terrapin Hybred without excessive construction thickness and quality assurance measures which are virtually unachievable on site," says Richard Macdonald.

Terrapin was the first offsite manufacturer to be accredited under Buildoffsite's new supplier registration scheme operated by Lloyd's Register.

The scheme specifies performance standards for all aspects of the offsite process and ensures best practice, offering clients confidence in the assured levels of competence, methodology and safe working of the accredited supplier.

Terrapin is a privately owned company which has been expanding and promoting the potential of modern methods of offsite construction since the 1940s.

It grew with the development of modular classroom buildings throughout the baby boom and is now a leader in the design and production of factory assembled building frames, panels and volumetric modules.

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