Homerton College Dining Hall, University of Cambridge

The twenty-two bespoke targets for the dining hall included:

• All-electric building with high-efficiency electric catering equipment and a ground source heat pump that reduces CO₂ emissions from heating and hot water by approximately 40%. The college has also installed a system large enough to supply other areas of the campus.

• Predominantly passive ventilation in high-occupancy spaces, such as the dining hall itself, which benefits from high-level opening windows. In peak conditions, mechanical ventilation is used, combining heat recovery which exchanges waste heat from cooking extraction to temper fresh incoming air.

• Low water use fittings equivalent to 40% reduction over baseline levels using BREEAM methodology, and drought tolerant planting.

• Analysis and design for future climate against 2050 medium weather scenarios with future provision for ground-sourced cooling.

• Undertaking a post-occupancy evaluation process to analyse and help optimise performance in use.

As part of our acoustics input, we modelled the acoustics of the 5,000m³ dining hall to evaluate reverberation and noise from diners.  The acoustics are controlled by means of seamless acoustic plaster and diffusing wall finishes. The acoustic design strategy reflected the sustainability targets for the project and the intent to design for a 100-year lifespan.