Located on the site of the former Scottish & Newcastle Breweries site, regenerated as Science Central, this combined heat and power (CHP) energy centre provides heating and cooling to the entire masterplan.

The energy centre is designed to work using combined heat and power (CHP) engines that generate electricity and produce hot water, which is then distributed throughout the development by a network of pipes providing heat to a number of commercial and residential buildings. The energy solution is efficient and produces fewer carbon emissions than taking power from the national grid, where heat generated by power stations is typically lost to the air, or where each building generates their own heat and cooling by having individual boilers and air-conditioning systems.

Located on a difficult site in terms of topography and the need for complex retaining structures, the architecture presents itself as a simple functional box which is clad with similar materials used on the commercial buildings throughout the masterplan, so as to appear part of the overall vision.

Working with Engie and Newcastle City Council, we have developed and coordinated the design using a BIM model.