St Peter’s Vicarage in Croydon is an outstanding environmental and sustainable exemplar for the Baxall team. Successfully achieving Level 5 of the Code for Sustainable Homes with an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate, the project was the second in a series of new build commissions for Baxall, on behalf of client The Diocese of Southwark. The vicarage has now been set as the benchmark for The Diocese’ rolling sustainable construction programme to substantially reduce carbon footprint and energy costs via the replacement of the older style and traditionally inefficient buildings with modern, sustainable and zero-rated carbon homes. The vicarage was effectively designed as a traditional build with masonry walls, beam and block floors, a timber cut and pitch roof and a traditional internal fit-out. In contrast, the high specification of sustainable and energy-efficient installations delivered a modern element incorporating:
- 32 sq ft of solar thermal panels fitted to the vicarage roof absorbing the maximum permissible 4 kilowatts of power
- MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) units to efficiently heat the fresh air supply and circulate throughout the house
- A Dunsley Yorkshire log burner (zero carbon rated) to heat the thermal store
- Underfloor heating and Lithotherm underfloor heating tiles
- A* rated Worcester Greenstar Boiler
- Triple glazed windows to help create an air-tight house and improve the thermal value of the property
- Provision both inside and out for recycling areas, bins, composting and rainwater harvesting
- A* rated kitchen appliances
- Solar thermal heating
- Excel 2009 Heatbank Thermal Store
- Lifetime Home Standards compliant
- Air leakage of 2.97
- 100% energy efficient electrical fittings (internal and external)
The works were carried out in close proximity to the operational church, residences and a care home. The Baxall team carried out personal visits to each to introduce themselves as the main contractor, discuss the works, relay important safety information and provide updates on an on-going basis. Works were temporarily halted half way through the programme to allow a commemorative ‘date-stone’ ceremony to take place, attended by the Archdeacon, church representatives, neighbours, local community and the site team. Throughout the works programme, Contract Manager Roger Hills hosted educational site visits and talks for students from West Kent College. These placed particular focus on sustainable construction, detailing and demonstrating the installations and efficiencies of the design-specified components.