A recently completed project in Oxford, United Kingdom has earned distinction as the first-ever in the country to obtain a 100% BREAAM score for its environmental credentials.

The 43,745-square-foot scheme from CMP Architects created valuable lab space for research & development and mid-tech inside a decommissioned natural gas warehouse for developers Wrenbridge and Buccleuch. EV charging stations, green-roofed bicycle shelters, and a sheltering brise soleil added flourish to a list of sustainable design features that includes a rooftop PV array, air source heat pumps, PIR lighting sensors, and efficient water fittings. The London-based firm Eight Versa served as the projects’ BREEAM consultants.

It surpasses what is thought to be the previous record-holder, the Architecten en Bouwmeesters-designed Geelen Counterflow headquarters in the Netherlands, which received a 99.94% rating after completion. The centerpiece of England’s 'Golden Triangle' scientific research capital is growing with expansions of both the nearby Oxford Science Park and Arc Oxford research districts from Foster + Partners, Scott Brownrigg, and Spratley & Partners. 

Upon receiving news of the certification, Wrenbridge director James Feltham said it was a testament to his firm's pursuit of the "best possible buildings." The project was completed between the summer of 2023 and March of this year. You can find out more about the ins and outs of BREEAM (which launched in 1990) via our recent summary of green building labels.