Island
A central Manchester hub for forward-thinking businesses committed to people, place, and planet
Sectors
Location
Manchester, United Kingdom
Client
GMPF
HBD
Architect
Cartwright Pickard
Island is a 100,000 sq. ft. Grade A development situated in central Manchester, offering modern office and commercial spaces. It is designed to be net zero carbon, BREEAM Excellent, WELL-enabled, EPC A and 5* NABERS UK rated. To help achieve this, we were appointed to provide multi-disciplinary engineering services.
Designed to align with the UKGBC’s net zero carbon buildings framework, our team had to work closely with the client and architects to achieve our sustainability targets. The building utilises a virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) system for heating and cooling, ensuring year-round thermal comfort. Domestic water is supplied via air source heat pumps, complemented by a rooftop solar panel to support energy consumption. Efficient ventilation systems adjust based on occupancy, and removable façade panels allow for future natural ventilation. This design aligns with Manchester’s strategy to future-proof buildings for zero carbon emissions.
David Everington, Associate, commented, “Island sets a new standard for sustainable architecture. Our innovative solutions ensure year-round comfort and energy efficiency, and despite space constraints, our collaborative design meets high environmental standards and futureproofs the building.”
GMPF and HBD’s vision is something we want to hear from every client we work with. Their desire to push the boundaries of workspace in the city and create a building that can easily align with occupiers’ ESG agenda is challenging, but it will futureproof Island. Our multi-disciplinary engineering teams together with the project team have developed design and sustainability strategies that have helped Island reach its potential. We are very proud of working on this project.
