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The soul of the Fire Station has been maintained and modernised in both aesthetics and sustainability – honouring its history, while treading lightly on the environment. A timeless building, reinvented for the future.This is complemented by the Station House, with its low-impact materiality, solar panels, and biodiverse green roof. Together, both buildings help Westminster Fire Station soar past environmental targets.

The Fire Station

Keeping the Edwardian building played a crucial part in the sustainability of the development. A significant amount of embodied carbon has been saved by retaining and extending its original structure. If the station was built anew, the development would have created more greenhouse gas emissions from the processing, manufacturing, transporting and construction of materials. 

As such, the design process has been centred on finding opportunities to enhance energy performance and efficiencies while retaining and elevating its characterful and historic fabric.

The Station House

The architecture of the Station House is meticulously designed to reduce heat loss in winter and use the sun’s warmth in summer. It is designed to allow in as much daylight as possible, with the intention that less energy will be required for artificial lighting. 

The interior specifications have been chosen for their quality and their low environmental impacts. Responsibly sourced materials and suppliers were sought, and local suppliers were prioritised to help minimise impact. The wood floors are FSC* and PEFC* certified and comply with EUTR* regulations. And for every tree harvested, at least three more are re-planted.

WRAS* approved low water use sanitaryware has been installed throughout to reduce consumption beyond the current building regulation targets. As a result, demand for domestic hot water has also been reduced, offering additional energy savings. 

The building has a green roof of wildflowers, chosen for their biodiversity and grown in organic fertiliser. Not only does it offer a vibrant view from above, but it also improves air quality in the local microclimate.

*FSC is Forest Stewardship Council, PEFC is Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, EUTR is European Timber Regulation, and WRAS is Water Regulations Advisory Scheme.

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Targeted reduction in carbon emissions (when comparing the listed building with pre-refurbishment and comparing the new building with building regulations).

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Tonnes of carbon saved per year by using solar panels.

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Reduction in unregulated carbon emissions, by using energy-efficient appliances and user-friendly energy measuring thermostats.

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Reduction in unregulated carbon emissions, by using energy-efficient appliances and user-friendly energy measuring thermostats.

“Sustainability is a constant presence in our decision-making process. It means re-examining the way we live and conduct business, the scale, capacity and consumerist choices so that our loved ones of future generations have a chance at enjoying and living on a healthier, happier planet or else what is the point?”

Charlie Baxter
Managing Director/Co-Founder
Alchemi Group