A sustainable welcome at Nottingham Trent University

Clegg Construction has started work on a new Reception and Environment Centre at the institution's Brackenhurst Campus

Posted by Julian Owen | March 27, 2018 | Bricks & mortar

• #nottingham-trent-university
• #reception-and-environment-centre
• #brackenhurst-campus
• #clegg-construction
• #simon-blackburn
• #professor-robert-mortimer

A new Reception and Environment Centre is being built at Nottingham Trent University, courtesy of Clegg Construction.

The Nottingham-based firm was chosen as the main contractor to deliver the new building, which is home to the university’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Services.

It will provide a new focal point to the rural campus, near Southwell, with a reception and a prominent entrance.

The environment centre, adjoined by a linking entrance foyer, will provide “world-class teaching, learning and research into major global challenges around the environment, ecology and conservation".

Exhibition and information space will showcase campus research, teaching and activities to staff, students and members of the public.

It will also include a café and dining area, a 200-seat lecture theatre with retractable seating, staff offices and state-of-the-art teaching and research rooms. The structure will be timber framed and set out over two storeys providing a total floor area of 2500m².

Designed to be eco-friendly, it has sloping hipped roofs to complement the adjacent Brackenhurst Hall, and includes a mezzanine and roof garden and external spaces for staff and students.

The building is “set to achieve BREEAM Excellent” rating, the highest for sustainability.

"It will deliver an iconic gateway building to provide a sense of arrival on campus, to host events, and to support excellence in research and teaching in the broad area of sustainability.”

Simon Blackburn, Managing Director of Clegg Construction, said: “We’re really excited to be working on this project for the university, to provide what will be a stunning addition to the Brackenhurst Campus.

“We have completed numerous projects in the higher education sector, but this is the first time we have worked with Nottingham Trent and we are delighted to be working on such a high-profile project in Nottinghamshire.”

“Commencement of this building marks an important milestone for the development of our campus,” said Professor Robert Mortimer, Dean of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.

He added: “It is the central component of our five-year plan to transform the campus. It will deliver an iconic gateway building to provide a sense of arrival on campus, to host events, and to support excellence in research and teaching in the broad area of sustainability.”

Work started on site this month and the build is due to open for September 2019.