Office in Merton
The Brief
The proposal in Merton replaces an existing hotel building with a new 8-storey commercial-led development. The scheme delivers approximately 7,702 sqm of retail space at ground and first floor levels, with office accommodation above, alongside new landscaping and supporting infrastructure.
Love Design Studio was appointed to ensure the scheme achieves the highest sustainability standards, developing the Energy & Sustainability Strategy and undertaking a range of supporting assessments, including Whole Life-Cycle Carbon, BREEAM Pre-Assessment, Overheating and Air Quality.
The design is guided by national and local policy, including the NPPF, London Plan (2021), and relevant Merton planning documents, with a target of achieving BREEAM ‘Excellent’.
Location
London Borough of Merton
Year
2024
Service Areas
The Process
By working closely with the wider design team throughout design development, we have helped embed key sustainability principles into the scheme.
A fabric-first energy strategy has been developed in line with the London Plan energy hierarchy, focusing on high-performance building fabric and passive design measures. This is supported by low and zero carbon technologies, including air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, with wastewater heat recovery considered where feasible.
We have undertaken detailed overheating analysis using dynamic modelling to inform façade design, shading, and ventilation strategies, helping to support thermal comfort and protect against overheating.
Circular economy principles have been developed through workshops with the wider design team, supporting material reuse opportunities and helping to reduce embodied carbon associated with demolition and new construction.
The Result
A sustainability strategy that supports a low-carbon, high-performance development. The approach reduces operational and embodied carbon, improves thermal comfort and air quality for future occupants, and aligns the scheme with planning policy and long-term net zero goals.