Futuristic environmental systems mean high efficiency, comfort and low running costs.
Businesses setting up, or moving to Lincoln Think Tank will immediately appreciate the enhanced, comfortable working environment, brought about by careful design and utilisation of many state-of-the-art environmental technologies.
The unique design of Think Tank optimises the form, mass, thermal performance and orientation of the structure in relation to the sun’s path. This facilitates passive heating and lighting, that ensures low energy usage and thus low operating costs. Numerous hi-tech features and environmentally friendly systems and components, make the Think Tank a highly desirable and cost-effective low-carbon building.
Key environmental features include:
- Ground source heat pumps to provide under floor heating and cooling
- High efficiency condensing gas boiler
- Solar water heating
- Natural air ventilation utilising mono draught units that are assisted by PV driven fans to provide air movement
- Super insulation to all external walls and partitions for energy conservation and sound proofing
- Special double-glazing window systems to reduce heat and glare on bright days and insulate in winter
- Sustainable natural larch external cladding from FSC sources
- Sun pipes in larger, upper floor offices to maximize natural daylight
- Low energy, automatically activated lighting
- ‘On-tap’ filtered boiling water for beverages to avoid the need for kettles as well as filtered, chilled drinking water
- Blinds in every office/workspace.
The central location also enables easy access by foot, cycle, bus, rail, or by car. Bicycle racks have been provided to encourage staff to embrace this alternative, stimulating method of getting to work, which in turn will promote health and well-being. Shower facilities are also available, if required by people cycling, walking or jogging to work.
Bio-diverse ‘green’ roof – functional as well as eco-friendly
This special feature has significant advantages:
- Provides a natural habitat of local fauna that can enhance the biodiversity of the area
- Captures and holds rainwater thus avoiding excessive storm water run off. Green roofs can absorb between 40 and 90% of annual rainfall, releasing water to drains more slowly
- Improves building insulation by up to 10% as well as contributing to temperature stability in the building
- Improves air quality around the building and reduces the carbon footprint by exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen in the plant photosynthesis process
- Delivers improved acoustic properties
- Protects the roof membrane from solar damage.
