Did you know?
The NFU’s decision to relocate its headquarters from London to Warwickshire was taken in July 2003. The choice of new site was agreed as being Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire, home to the National Agricultural Centre and Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE).
The key reasons for the NFU’s relocation to the heart of the countryside was to move ‘culturally’ closer to its members and it wanted its headquarters to act as a ‘drop in’ centre for NFU members and colleagues from regional offices.
The NFU was very clear from the outset that it wished to satisfy a number of key ambitions in the new building. These included:
- A landmark building providing an asset to the NFU membership and a suitable venue for hosting the majority of the NFU’s functions that would reflect its corporate image of an environmentally caring industry.
- A building designed for longevity that utilises the latest sustainable technology to save energy and minimise impact on the countryside.
- A building of quality, making use of natural materials, and conveying the NFU’s clear identity in a setting that is part of the Centre of Excellence for Agriculture in the UK.
- A high level of comfort for occupiers, but using up to 30% less energy than comparable office buildings to reinforce the NFU’s credentials as a leader in sustainable environmentally friendly design techniques.
Delivering a highly sustainable and energy-efficient office which would reduce the building’s impact on the environment was a key challenge. The building is orientated to facilitate the maximum day lighting, but minimise solar gain, thus reducing cooling loads.
High-quality natural and sustainable materials were used appropriately. British materials – where possible from the local vicinity – and recycled materials and components were sourced.
- External walls are faced in Locharbriggs sandstone from Dumfries, constructed in traditional fashion rather than as a veneer cladding. This stone is the same sandstone seam that occurs locally in Warwickshire.
- External windows have a sustainablysourced timber sub-frame with recyclable aluminium external sashes.
- The glazing is a solar control glass with a green tint. This provides the best balance between light admission and solar heat reduction whilst retaining natural colouration through the glass.
- The roof is covered in Welsh slate, laid in reducing course widths to follow the natural curvature of the building.
- The pitched roof is insulated using wool from Cumbrian sheep fitted between timber rafters and the walling insulation used is a quilt product using 70% recycled glass.
- Cedar cladding has been utilised at the upper floors facing Stoneleigh Abbey to blend with the natural vegetation and to weather to a silver grey colour.
Agriculture House, Stoneleigh officially opened on 19 December 2005 and was Regional Winner of the BCO Corporate Workplace award in 2008.