21 March 2023 - Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) low carbon headquarters and green business hub, the Entopia building, has won two prestigious architectural awards.
The Cambridge Design and Construction Awards 2023 presented two awards and a commendation to the Entopia building, in the following categories:
- David Mackay Award for Engineering and Sustainability
- Best Conservation, Alteration, or Extension of an Existing Building (over £2m construction costs)
- Commendation for Craftsmanship Award
The awards celebrate the best construction projects completed in Greater Cambridge, including new buildings and conservation, alterations, or extensions to existing buildings.
The Entopia Building is an energy efficient, sustainable retrofit. What used to be a 1930s telephone exchange is now a world-leading example of ‘deep green’ retrofit, aiming for BREEAM certification (Outstanding), the Passivhaus 'EnerPHit' standard and WELL (Gold) certification.
Clare Shine, CEO and Director, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership said:
“We're thrilled that the Entopia Building has been recognised through the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards 2023. The ambitious retrofit of CISL’s global headquarters was the result of incredibly hard work and creative collaboration by so many people, who richly deserve this shared acknowledgement of their efforts.
“To win the David Mackay Award for Engineering and Sustainability is a great privilege. It shows ‘the art of the possible’ and underscores our commitment for Entopia to inspire others to make positive, transformative change in the built environment.”
Entopia won the prestigious David Mackay Award, after namesake David Mackay who was Chief Scientific Advisor to the government, then Regius Professor in Engineering at the University of Cambridge, and author of the critically acclaimed book, ‘Sustainable Energy – without the hot air’.
Judges commented that Entopia was chosen “for its leadership in demonstrating what can be achieved in retrofitting challenging buildings.”
With a huge spend on upgrading housing, commercial and industrial buildings, retrofit plays a major role in the future of UK construction.
Associate Wendy Bishop, Architype’s lead architect on the Entopia project said:
“The award win for Entopia is a wonderful recognition of the amazing teamwork that went into delivering this EnerPHit-certified retrofit. We’re proud that the project has transformed people’s experience of the building, with enhanced natural daylight and comfort, and - along with other energy saving measures – promises to deliver a saving of £100,000 a year.
“To also win the David Mackay Award for Engineering and Sustainability is a particular honour as his writing inspired me and so many others to find clarity in the numbers and focus on objectively sustainable design.”
The Entopia building project was a collaborative effort of an ambitious partnership team, who bought into a new way of working together which put sustainability as a priority goal, alongside the usual issues such as cost and quality. There is a big focus is on circularity, cutting energy and carbon impact to help tackle climate change, alongside social and wellbeing factors for people in the building – and in the supply chain.
Project partners include 3pm, Architype, BDP, Envision, Eve Waldron Design, Feilden and Mawson, Gardiner & Theobald, ISG and Max Fordham.
The awards were announced at a ceremony on Monday 13 March, hosted by the CFCI at the McGrath Centre, St. Catharine’s College. The judging panel was chaired by Dame Fiona Reynolds, former master of Emmanuel College Cambridge and former director-general of the National Trust.