A late-Victorian library converted into an archive and community hub.

Refurbishment and decarbonisation of a Grade II listed Victorian library building into a local archive display and storage area, community hub with a café,  flexible event space with support kitchen, and classroom. The roof will house ventilation plant, heat pumps, solar panels, and roof lanterns. Targeting BREEAM ‘Very Good’.

Benefiting from the Council’s successful £40m Levelling Up Fund bid, Skelly & Couch currently work with Haworth Tompkins architects to bring the Grade II listed Victorian building back into public use.

The project focuses on reducing energy consumption through the adoption of low-carbon and renewable energy technologies and aims to achieve a minimum 35% improvement in carbon efficiency compared to current standards, aligning with London's net zero-carbon goal.

The building aims to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating as a minimum.

A fabric first approach to the roof and windows has been taken to ensure excellent airtightness and energy efficient heating while preserving the Grade II listed nature of the building.

Located on a busy road, the building originally faced pollution and high noise levels due to its reliance on natural ventilation. To mitigate these issues and reduce heat loss in winter, three MVHR systems were installed. The new heating system features two CO2 heat pumps, using low global-warming-potential carbon dioxide instead of conventional synthetic refrigerants with much higher GWPs, and achieves high flow temperatures suitable for older buildings previously reliant on boilers.

The new archive is a sealed,  environment designed to preserve heritage materials by providing a stable climate. It is not ventilated and remains unheated, relying on the thermal mass of the ground and hygroscopic properties of the materials to maintain stable conditions. Ignition sources have been kept away, all but eliminating fire risk without the need to resort to expensive suppression systems.

Integrating sustainable technologies into this historic library enhances community access to energy-efficient public spaces, preserving architectural heritage and demonstrating how existing buildings can be decarbonised.