Sustainability
The development of Crewe Hall Farm has been carefully planned to incorporate the latest sustainable practices, both during construction and during its ongoing occupancy.
Construction
Crewe Hall Farm was selected by contractor Eric Wright Construction to test a new solar-powered combination site cabin. With welfare, office and toilet facilities incorporated into a single unit powered by photo-voltaic panelling, the cabins were installed for the initial stage of construction to provide carbon neutral facilities for contractors.
A comprehensive site waste management plan has also been put in place. During demolition any bricks and roof tiles that can be re-used are extracted, whilst all others are segregated and identified for recycling where possible. Concrete is crushed and either re-used as hardcore at the site or graded for future use by other local contractors. Diesel from machines is bunded to ensure the safety of water courses in the locality and any architectural features which can be salvaged or reclaimed for use elsewhere are carefully removed and retained for future use. The aim is to re-use 50% of all materials removed in demolition in the redevelopment of the site and reduce haulage journeys to and from the site.
A waste ‘champion’ has been appointed to ensure that any packaging from delivered materials is either removed at source by suppliers, or collected on site and recycled locally. All sub-contractors are interviewed on their own waste management procedures to ensure that they are equally committed to the environment and have similar waste management procedures in place.
Wildlife
After lying redundant for several years the buildings had become home to roosting birds, barn owls and a colony of bats, and contingencies had to be developed to sensitively re-home these creatures.
30 bird boxes have been installed within the trees surrounding the buildings and a ‘bat barn’ has been constructed on site to provide new accommodation for the Farm’s resident bat population.
