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EPICENTRE
The EpiCentre, Visitors Environment Centre at the Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, Leeds
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm in Leeds has been a popular visitor attraction and teaching resource for Leeds schools for many years. The new visitors' centre was designed as a Millennium project to take the farm into the twenty first century by demonstrating ecological issues and exploring sustainable development.
'The EpiCentre', the smallest building project funded by the National Lottery Millennium Commission', was built by Leeds City Council's 'Community Building Firm' and opened September 1999 to much acclaim by the environment minister Michael Meacher MP.
At the time designed as the greenest building in the UK, the building is partially earth sheltered and houses classrooms, education and environmental offices together with conference/exhibition spaces.
The turf roof is a wildlife haven in its own right, oversailing the front glazed wall providing summer shading. With few openings in the north & east elevations and high levels of insulation, energy needs are much reduced. The timber frame was taken from local forests within 25miles of the site.
Construction work was carried out to a very high standard by the trainees of the innovative LCC Community Building Firm, this formed a key aspect of sustainability in the building process by providing quality-training opportunities for local young people in construction.
Meanwood Valley Urban Farm in Leeds has been a popular visitor attraction and teaching resource for Leeds schools for many years. The new visitors' centre was designed as a Millennium project to take the farm into the twenty first century by demonstrating ecological issues and exploring sustainable development.
'The EpiCentre', the smallest building project funded by the National Lottery Millennium Commission', was built by Leeds City Council's 'Community Building Firm' and opened September 1999 to much acclaim by the environment minister Michael Meacher MP.
At the time designed as the greenest building in the UK, the building is partially earth sheltered and houses classrooms, education and environmental offices together with conference/exhibition spaces.
The turf roof is a wildlife haven in its own right, oversailing the front glazed wall providing summer shading. With few openings in the north & east elevations and high levels of insulation, energy needs are much reduced. The timber frame was taken from local forests within 25miles of the site.
Construction work was carried out to a very high standard by the trainees of the innovative LCC Community Building Firm, this formed a key aspect of sustainability in the building process by providing quality-training opportunities for local young people in construction.
Images
Project Profile
| Project Name | EpiCentre |
|---|---|
| Project Address | Meanwood, Leeds |
| Client | Meanwood Valley Farm |
| Contract Value | £350,000 |
| Completion Date | 09/1999 |
| Type of Project | other |