We need to focus on the wider value piece.

The Forge is designed to be the first commercial building in the UK to comply with the UK Green Building Council’s definition of a net-zero carbon building in both construction and operation..This is delivered through the rigorous application of a raft of new and existing principles throughout design, manufacture, construction and operation, applying the value driver of reducing embodied carbon at every opportunity.

Given the amount of carbon generated by construction, the potential benefits of adopting this approach at scale are enormous..The Forge is a building that will not only be aesthetically striking, but also a pleasure to work in and a new standard in environmentally sensitive design.. As such, it will demonstrate in its fabric, form and function, the importance of Design to Value in the future of sustainable construction..The kit of parts of the entire project.

An excerpt from 'Design to Value: The architecture of holistic design and creative technology' book by Mark Bryden, Professor John Dyson, Jaimie Johnston MBE and Martin Wood.Published by RIBA Books.

To purchase this book, visit.Engineered timbers such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) or glued laminated timber (glulam) are made from small pieces of wood glued together, without knots or other imperfections, resulting in a better and more reliable product than natural timber.

These products have been available for decades but have gained popularity in recent years as a sustainable alternative to traditional materials like steel and concrete.. At Bryden Wood, we’re continually exploring the use of sustainable materials and are committed to the delivery of ‘honest’ buildings where all technical challenges are well-known, and thoroughly analysed and addressed to avoid unwanted architectural or environmental impacts in design and operation.. Our design approach supports construction systems where each component is designed for purpose, without the need for additional redundant materials that generate unnecessary waste or additional embodied carbon.The lockdown imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic saw the urban garden-style placemaking at Churchwood Gardens really come into its own.

Residents could easily get out of their property and into the natural environment, while still feeling safe..This level of placemaking, along with the sustainability credentials of the scheme and the added benefit to the existing built environment, is what social value in architecture means to us at Bryden Wood..

Constant reflection, evaluation, and improvement.Bryden Wood continues to push as a practice to look at how we can deliver social value through our projects, learning from each scale and sector type to inform better design outcomes.