Timber structure Building Control at Paradise SE11

Sweco Building Control is providing regulatory support on Paradise SE11, a new six-storey office building with a timber structure that is setting a new standard for sustainable workspace.

As a building control approver for the Paradise project by Bywater Properties,  we had the opportunity to collaborate with the Sumitomo Forestry in Japan, who have a rich history in timber development. This project marked the first collaboration between Bywater and Sumitomo, and we were extremely excited to work with their fantastic team.

This project brought together a team of competent designers with proven expertise, which greatly contributed to our ability to reach an approved position. The office development in Lambeth featured a mass timber structure and a glazed terracotta façade. Notably, the building exceeded the RIBA 2030 Embodied Carbon Targets, showcasing its commitment to low-carbon development. With a carbon footprint of 491kg CO2e/m2, the carbon locked in the frame is equivalent to approximately 60 years of tenant emissions.

As Sweco Technical Director Balvinder Singh explains: “One of the key aspects of this timber structure project was of course the development of a performance-based fire strategy produced by OFR. To this end, we attended a large-scale fire test in Poland, accompanied by the London Fire Brigade. This allowed us to witness the auto-extinction capabilities within the designed parameters. Additionally, we received specialist support from our third-party review, R.ISE , who are based in Sweden.”

Project highlights

  1. Collaboration between Bywater Properties and Sumitomo Group from Japan
  2. Performance-based fire strategy approved after attending a large-scale fire test in Poland with the London Fire Brigade
  3. Specialist support from third-party review, R.ISE Sweden
  4. Competent designers with proven expertise allowed for effective regulation of the higher risk building
  5. Office development in Lambeth with a mass timber structure and glazed terracotta façade land locked with a public park and railway line.
  6. Exceeded RIBA 2030 Embodied Carbon Targets with a carbon footprint of 491kg CO2e/m2
  7. Carbon locked in the frame equivalent to approximately 60 years of tenant emissions

Key Sweco expertise provided

  • Early engagement with the client and design team to offer Building Regulations advice through utilising our experience within modern methods of construction.
  • Recommendations for the best route to compliance with a roadmap for the design team identifying the key stages of the design and setting out the expectations for approval.
  • Collaboration with third-party reviewers to ensure that the specialist design is impartially evaluated by competent engineers.
  • Reviewing and coordinating the various design submissions and providing project specific comments throughout the various RIBA stages
  • Undertaking regular site inspections to monitor site progress and check on compliance through the construction phase.

Sweco has been at the centre of some of the most technically challenging projects that incorporate Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), and we have industry leading experience with Mass Timber/Hybrid use in sustainable office development. Our Building Control team is at the forefront of change, leveraging our extensive European expertise to regulate large-scale office developments the UK. By embracing mass timber and hybrid CLT-framed construction, we guide clients through a performance-based compliance route, ensuring safety without compromising innovation.

Our rigorous checking and evidence-based approach ensures adherence to building regulations, exemplifying our commitment to sustainable development and client success. For us, it’s all about fostering trust in the regulation of safe, compliant, and cutting-edge building solutions.

If you need support on MMC regulatory obligations or advice on unlocking net zero and sustainability focused construction projects from a building safety perspective, contact our experts below.