University of Edinburgh opens SCRM building
University of Edinburgh in the UK has opened the £54 million ($84.56 million) Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine (SCRM) building.
Buro Happold were the consulting engineers of the project while Miller Construction served as the contractor. The building, designed by architecture practice Sheppard Robson, is the first large-scale, purpose-built facility of its type in the UK. It is also slated to become the pioneering lab building in Scotland to bag a BREEAM Excellent rating. The facility, spanning 8,700 square metres, will offer a green environment for the study and development of new treatments for human diseases based on regenerative medicine.
The internal form of the building replicates a pebble in a pond effect. Smaller and darker areas like the cell culture rooms are located in the building's centre, lab spaces in the middle whereas write-up spaces are situated next to the outer walls to offer natural ventilation and natural light penetration.
The first- and ground-level of the building exterior have been equipped with large openable windows. These maximise circulation of natural light along with cooling and ventilation.There are glazed screens with vertical fixed louvres or fins to offer solar shading and reduce heat gain. Incorporation of a ground source heat pump powered by the roof-fitted photovoltaic panels, and rainwater recycling add to the sustainability factor.
The facility's lab sports a cantilevered shape and is clad in aluminium fins. This helps offer maximum impact on arrival to the site, cuts down solar gain, as well as enhances views of the encompassing landscape. The property records a 22% fall in its carbon footprint compared to industry standards while renewable sources meet 76% of its energy needs.
The project has been financed by the University of Edinburgh, the Medical Research Council, Scottish Enterprise and the British Heart Foundation.
