Work starts on Ecology's showcase HQ building
Friday 11 October 2002
Yorkshire based Ecology Building Society have started laying the foundations for their new head office in Silsden. The new building will be constructed by Otley based Lotus Construction and will showcase the ecological principles of the countrys youngest building society, formed only twenty one years ago in nearby Cross Hills.
The 205m long site for the new building lies above the Airedale flood plain to the South East of Silsden town centre, on the Belton Road Industrial Estate. The footprint of the building only occupies a small part of the site, which includes mature trees and a community garden area with formalised dog walking facilities.
Ecology building society promotes the concept of sustainability through its mortgage lending and provides a range of ethical savings schemes to support this. The level of sustainability achieved in the new building was therefore a key consideration for local designer Mark Hodson. Wherever possible use has been made of traditional materials such as rendered straw bales, stone and timber and there will be a planted 'nature roof' to the north-west side. Systems will be provided for rainwater harvesting and a heat exchanger will recover waste heat from equipment and people. Energy will be supplied by a combination of 'photovoltaic cells' on the south-eastern elevation and 'green electricity' from the Societys current supplier Ecotricity.
The Ecology are keen to encourage use of the new building by members of the local community. The meeting room, which will follow in the second stage scheduled for 2004, is unusual in both its design and purpose. It will comprise a circular rendered straw bale structure detached from the main building and will be made available to local community groups and schools. There will also be a study area and library specialising in 'green issues' for use by staff, Society members and the general public on request. A library will be provided with computers for internet access and word processing.
Ecology Chairman Gus Smith was in celebratory mood...
"What a 21st birthday present! The new building is a major milestone in our evolution from a small group of concerned ecologists with reserves of £5,000, to one of the fastest growing building societies, with assets now exceeding £42million! The new building showcases what is important to us in terms of sustainability and active community development."
