Britannia Phase 2b

MEP design and sustainability consultancy proves critical for major Hackney redevelopment project

Whitecode Consulting provided MEP design and sustainability consultancy for a major redevelopment initiative, targeting the complete regeneration of Hackney’s former Britannia Leisure Centre.

Part of the overall Britannia Masterplan, Phase 2B – the largest residential phase – will see 296 private for sale units, 30 shared ownership apartments and 45 affordable units, and considerable retail/affordable workspace designed and constructed as part of four independent buildings.

The four distinct blocks will each comprise a combination of social rented, market sales and intermediate properties. While the buildings will not feature basements, the ground floor areas will contain plant rooms, refuse stores, cycle stores, lobbies, social spaces and commercial units – which will be fitted out with shell and core services.

With the developer and main client keen to futureproof the building to account for ever-changing building regulations and sustainability standards, they wanted to introduce a second staircase to ensure the building was safer for any future residents.

However, as Whitecode Consulting was brought into the project at Stage 4, the team was not involved in the decision-making process. This meant the consultants had to redesign all the previous MEPH design to suit.

To ensure the project remained coordinated and offered truly holistic solutions, BIM, Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) and asset registers were used.

By replacing fragmented and manual data entry, this ensured project managers and decision makers had reliable, instant access to relevant data whenever they needed. It also enhanced clash detection, spatial planning, system routing and interdisciplinary collaboration across project teams, reducing risk and enhancing safety throughout the project.

Energy efficiency and sustainability also played a crucial role in the building’s design and construction. PV panels were installed on all building blocks. These fed into the landlord’s electrical system, reducing the overall service charge to the landlord. This, in turn, was passed on to the tenants.

Additionally, low usage fixtures were specified and used on the water fittings following advice and recommendations from Whitecode Consulting’s design team. This will minimise the likelihood of excessive water usage and reduce overall consumption – further saving energy expenditure.

With reducing on-site carbon emissions a key aspect of the design, the heating system will eventually be connected to a district heating network. While the site is currently running off a temporary gas boiler system, the Britannia Phase 2B development aims to become a nitrogen oxide (NOX) free site and won’t feature any on-site energy generation.

Furthermore, all fittings were specified and installed in line with GLA requirements to ensure no more than 105 litres per person per day and reduce the amount of water usage throughout the development.

To help ensure operational reliability, resilience and redundancy, all thermal substations were fitted with duty/standby plate exchangers. In the event of failure, the site will still be provided with heating and hot water.

BIM and CAD modelling were utilised to effectively coordinate structural, architectural and façade requirements. In addition, the team held fortnightly workshops, worked alongside an external BIM consultant and leveraged a federated model to ensure full cohesion between all vital elements of the building design.

With the developer driven by meeting sustainability targets and enhancing occupant comfort, an overheating assessment in line with CIBSE TM59 regulations. With the new technical memorandum looking to address how buildings respond to external temperatures, this vital assessment ensured compliance with the stringent regulations.

Dean Loizou, Design Director at Whitecode Consulting, underlined the importance of early collaboration on such extensive projects. He said: “With four distinct blocks of differing heights and requirements, this was a monumental project that required all of our MEP design and sustainability expertise.

“The client had grandiose targets for this development and the stringent fire standards, alongside their requests for a second staircase to be designed and incorporated, meant we needed to completely redesign all the previous MEPH to align with the additional installation.

“It was therefore absolutely critical that the MEP design was holistically linked to architectural, façade and structural requirements. In addition to undertaking various assessments to ensure compliance, our team utilised the latest technologies and BIM software to provide full support and guidance throughout the entire project.”

The development is expected to be completed later in 2026.