We are regenerating the Victorian villa ‘Chestnuts’ to serve as the home for Royal Holloway’s new Health Studies Department.
This expansive 19th-century house, which has a floor area of approximately 550m2, has had various uses over the last 120+ years, but until recently was in a state of disrepair and structurally unstable.
This has provided a brilliant opportunity to minimise the building’s environmental footprint, whilst preserving its cherished heritage and authentic features. To achieve this, we are:
- Reusing and recycling original materials where possible
- Maximising natural lighting through open spaces and skylights
- Encasing the internal space with an airtight membrane and high-density insulation
- Employing mineral wool fibre insulation without petrochemicals
- Cladding the building with sustainably sourced timber larch
- Replacing all existing windows with new high-performing designs that are still aligned with the building’s heritage aesthetics
- Installing an Air Source Heat Pump and heat recovery systems
