United Welsh is committed to sustainable development with this building containing a number of environmentally friendly features The design consists of a single storey steel frame construction with a through colour render to the northern elevation and vertical strips of timber rain-screen cladding to the southern elevation. The main mono-pitch roof will be clad with a metal, standing seam decking system, with the southern edge over-sailing the envelope to provide solar shading to the glazed elevation. The roof will be inter-dispersed with wind-catchers, which are part of the natural ventilation system and will extract warm air from the rooms below while also allowing fresh air to infiltrate.
The scheme is non-SHG (Social Housing Grant) funded, with the property being leased to Caerphilly County Borough Council for a 35 year period.
Official Opening view
Contractor: M & J Cosgrove Builders Ltd
Architect: Pentan Partnership
Site Acquisition: 9th March 2006
Start Date: 18th September 2006
Completion Date: July / August 2007
Links to: Floor plan and elevations
Before the work started
Artists impression of the site
The wind catchers