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Nottingham Playhouse Trust Ltd
Tender Brief
A Scheme to Improve Environmental Performance at Nottingham Playhouse
Background & History
The Trustees and management team of Nottingham Playhouse wish to identify ways
to improve the environmental performance of the building and are seeking to appoint
a specialist team to work alongside the Playhouse team to draw up a scheme that will
satisfy the relevant criteria for funding applications to Arts Council England (ACE)
Capital Grants Scheme and Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Heritage Grants Scheme.
Nottingham Playhouse was designed by Peter Moro and opened in 1964. It is a Grade
II* Listed Building and a fine example of Modernist architecture. The design
principles and methods of construction are set out in detail in the theatre’s
Conservation Plan, which was drawn up in 2003 prior to a HLF funded refurbishment
of the theatre’s restaurant and bar areas. This also sets out the principles that should
be applied to any future development of the building, though it does not take account
specifically of green issues as it largely pre-dates the emergence of environmental
performance concerns. Notwithstanding, it remains a working document that should
be used to guide thinking around this current project. The Conservation Plan is
attached as Appendix 1.
In tendering for these works, the Playhouse is seeking to make permanent changes to
the structure of the building that will bring about significant improvements in
environmental performance for today’s users and future generations. In doing so the
Playhouse recognises that any changes must be sensitive to the theatre’s Listed status
and seek to preserve and enhance the essential characteristics of the building’s
architecture.
The focus of this project is Nottingham Playhouse, i.e. the main theatre building,
together with the Neville Studio and CAST, which are within the footprint of
Nottingham Playhouse but discrete spaces within it. It also includes the East Circus
Street offices, which are across the road from the main theatre building. East Circus
Street is not a listed building, but is within a Conservation Area. In addition, it should
include any appropriate works to the theatre owned house in NG7 (Premier Road),
which is used as creative team accommodation, and the leased industrial unit in NG7
(Bloomsgrove Industrial Estate), which houses the theatre’s set building facility.
Current Situation
The problems that the Playhouse is seeking to address are those arising from the
building’s architectural features and methods of construction, many of which it shares
with buildings of the same era. The exterior of the building includes large glazed
sections, all of which are single glazed and steel framed, and thus thermally very
inefficient. The main entrances into the building are all glass doors and the existing
doors are a poor fit and a further significant source of heat loss. There is little or no
insulation within the brickwork, on the roof and on/around the flytower. There is no
insulation underneath the first floor cantilevered offices. The heating and cooling
systems are for the most part fairly antiquated and ineffective at heating and cooling
audiences, staff and other users of the building.
The Playhouse has been working with Nottingham Trent University’s Future Factory
since 2010 to identify sustainable design options for the building. Working with Dr
Amin Al-Habaibeh and the School of Architecture, Design and the Built
Environment, the aim of the project has been to understand the energy performance of
the building, identify the key drivers of energy consumption and make
recommendations for reducing energy consumption and costs. A key piece of
research carried out by NTU explored thermal performance issues relating to the
building envelope, specifically heat loss/gain through glazing and entrances and
identification of ‘hot spots’, i.e. areas of greatest heat loss. This demonstrated that the
windows and doors are unequivocally the areas of greatest heat loss and the thermal
imaging produced by NTU illustrates this to stark effect. This is attached as
Appendix 2.
Armed with this information the Playhouse has begun exploring solutions that will
both bring about a reduction in energy costs and satisfy the various stakeholders in the
building: City Council Planning Department, English Heritage, Twentieth Century
Society, etc.
Lottery Funding
The re-focusing of ACE capital funding on the consolidation and improvement of
existing buildings and equipment, including improving environmental performance,
provides the Playhouse with an opportunity to address environmental performance
issues in a coherent manner and achieve appropriate long term solutions to the current
problems that might be otherwise beyond its scope financially.
The Project
The Playhouse wishes to address its environmental performance in a coherent and
meaningful way that involves proper options appraisal and consideration of return on
investment and payback. The sensitivity of the building and complexity of the project
demands that an architect led designed approach is taken that takes account of the
building’s architectural significance.
Therefore, the Playhouse would like to appoint a team of specialists, including an
architect and environmental engineer as a minimum, to review the feasibility of
various options for improving environmental performance. This should include the
following stages:
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Calculation of carbon savings achieved by individual options
Calculation of cost savings achieved by individual options
Capital cost of implementation
Return on investment/payback calculations
Impact on the appearance of the building and desirability in terms of the
building’s Listed status
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Any future impacts on running costs, use of staff time, use of space, etc.
The feasibility study should consider the following options for improving
environmental performance. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list and
applicants are encouraged to add other options that might deliver the project’s
objectives.
Building Alterations
All apply to the main Nottingham Playhouse building unless otherwise stated.
Glazing:
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Secondary glazing of some or all of the windows
Secondary glazing in East Circus Street
Improved double glazing in the Neville Studio
Walls:
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Cavity insulation to brickwork
Cavity insulation to brickwork in East Circus Street
Internal lining to internally plastered board marked concrete walls
Further insulation of flytower in relation to ventilation
Soffits:
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Under carpet insulation to exposed board marked cantilever soffits
Roofs:
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Roof fabric upgrade and warm roof overlay
Internal lining of Neville Studio roof
Insulation in East Circus Street roof
Doors:
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Installing lobbies and/or revolving external doors in all areas
Solar:
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Roof mounted solar PV installation
Roof mounted solar hot water installation
Equipment, Fixture and Fittings
Heating:
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Replacement of boilers with more carbon efficient heat sources e.g. CHP
Toilets:
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Grey water recycling scheme
Sensor taps, low water use toilets and shower heads
Low energy handriers
Lighting:
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Improve daylight quantity and quality to working spaces by reflection, changing
surface colours and removing blinds
Replace fittings with low energy alternatives
Install sensors in toilets and corridors
Energy Management:
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Install energy management system and other technologies for effective control of
heating and cooling systems
Set up zoning within the buildings according to use
Heat Recovery and recycling improvements to ventilation systems
General Refurbishment
In addition to exploring options for improving environmental performance, the project
will also include some general refurbishment works to the public areas of the
building.
Neville Studio:
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Create a permanent walk way between the Neville Studio and Ustinov Room at
first floor level – over the roof – enabling better access to the Neville Studio
Refurbishment of the first floor toilets next to the Ustinov Room and creation of
an accessible toilet
CAST:
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Create a permanent bin storage area on North Circus Street to minimise the effect
of the bins on the approach to the theatre and Conservation Area
Objectives
The objectives for the capital project generally are:
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To vastly improve the environmental performance of the building
To significantly reduce carbon emissions
To significantly reduce energy and other running costs
To be able to effectively measure and monitor energy use
To generate a % of electricity in house
To be able to demonstrate to stakeholders that the Playhouse is taking steps to
improve its environmental performance
The objectives for this stage of the project are:
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To complete a detailed options appraisal that explores different options and
considers the risks and costs associated with each
To make recommendations on the most appropriate options to pursue and provide
justification for the preferred options
To develop the project to RIBA Work Stage B
To provide any other information necessary to enable the Playhouse to submit an
ACE Stage One Capital application
SCHEDULE & DEADLINES
The timescale for this stage of the project is driven by the submission date for Arts
Council England’s Capital Grants Scheme, which is due to be announced over
Summer 2012. It is expected that details of the scheme, i.e. submission date/closing
date, will be announced in late summer/early autumn, and that the lead time for
submissions will be short.
Given that the scheme is expected to be over subscribed the Playhouse is keen to be in
a position to submit a Stage One application very soon after dates and timescales are
announced.
Therefore, it is imperative that this feasibility stage of the project is completed in time
to enable a submission to be made in early autumn. A short turnaround time is
required.
BUDGET
The Playhouse does not have any project grant funding for this stage of the work but
expects the scheme itself to be eventually funded from a variety of public and private
sources. As a registered charity working in the subsidised arts sector the Playhouse
has limited funds at its disposal.
Tenders that involve some or all of the work for this stage of the project being carried
out on a speculative basis, for eventual recoupment in the budget for the full scheme,
will be viewed favourably, but this is not a pre-requisite.
REPORTING
The first point of contact for the project is Rachael Thomas. She will report to a
Project Team comprising the following individuals drawn from the Playhouse senior
management team and Board of Trustees:
Stephanie Sirr
Giles Croft
Jasper Gilbert
Helen Flach
EXPERIENCE
Chief Executive
Artistic Director
Production Manager
Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees
The Trustees and management team are seeking bids from teams with appropriate
experience in this area. It is expected that individual tenders will include all the
requisite skills and experience needed for this stage of the project. As a minimum
teams should include an architect and environmental engineer.
SUBMISSION DETAIL
Tenders should set out methodology for carrying out the works, key individuals
involved in the works and a timescale.
CLOSING DATE
The closing date for receipt of tenders is 10 August 2012 at 5pm.