Green Gown Awards 2015 – Built Environment - Nottingham Trent University - Finalist

To be green or not to be green, that is the question?

In 2013, 50 Shakespeare St was a building on death’s door.  It was built in 1887, damaged during the war and butchered by decades of use by the local council as a registry office.

Nottingham Trent University took on the challenge of rescuing this Grade II listed building to build upon the University Quarter concept in the city centre. 

Never before have NTU embarked on such an astonishing refurbishment of a listed building. Innovative solutions to unprecedented challenges have resulted in the completion of our crown jewel in our estate. 

Read on to understand how NTU have breathed new life into this wonderful building whilst bringing it up to the highest sustainability standards.

Top 3 learnings

1 Overcoming restrictions associated with rescuing a Grade II listed building, has given the team the confidence, scope and knowledge to apply the same principles to future refurbishment projects

2 Energy costs are calculated to be 30% lower than if no upgrades to the building fabric and services had taken place. In addition NTU will benefit from an additional income of between £15k-20k per annum from the Renewable Heat Incentive associated with the biomass boiler

3 50 Shakespeare St has benchmarked real capabilities vs expectations for delivery and the building itself acts as a flagship project to other Universities and institutions who may otherwise consider restoration as impractical or unachievable.