Board 7 - Sustainability & The Environment
Consultation has concluded
Sustainability & The Environment
Environmental and community sustainability have been at the forefront of our design process since we began working on the project. We have aimed to harness environmental technology to improve the resilience of the station to adapt to the climate emergency.
We have aimed to harness environmental technology to improve the resilience of the station to adapt to the climate emergency.
Wild flower / seeded roofs to the station buildings and roof canopies reduce solar heat gain, improve biodiversity and attenuates rainwater, slowing its flow and reducing pressure on the local sewer network.
Energy Generation
Solar panels capitalise on the southern orientation of the site and generate power for internal lighting, charging for electric bikes at the active travel hub, and at times of low demand can provide supplementary energy back to the Welsh power network.
Natural Ventilation
The west orientation of the prevailing winds allow controlled openings at high-level to permit fresh air into the building eliminating the need for mechanically ventilated concourse area.
The use of glazing shelters the internal spaces from the elements while allowing as much natural light into the space as possible to reduce the need for artificial lighting during the day.
SuDS
SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Systems) in the form of rain gardens and below ground cellular storage help filter contaminated surface water run-off from the bus apron. Permeable paving in key areas mitigates surface water ponding at entrances and key pedestrian routes.
Trees
Following feedback, the bus concourse has been rearranged to retain the existing Hornbeam trees to the east, and the northwest public realm has been designed to retain four of the existing Cherry trees adjacent to the taxi rank. The remaining three are proposed to be relocated.
The eastern short-stay car park has been rearranged to retain the four mature birch trees between Station Terrace and the railway.
Air Quality & Public Amenity
Terraced planting has been incorporated between Station Terrace and Cardiff Road to the north to help improve air quality at a point of higher traffic flows.
Electric Charging
Electric charging is provided at two of the bus layover spaces to support the transition to more sustainable vehicles and the decarbonisation of public transport.
Rainwater Harvesting
The butterfly roof area has been designed to channel rainwater towards a central gutter from which rainwater is harvested and stored in a special tank below ground. This water can be pumped for use for the WC facilities (toilet flushes) and irrigation of surrounding planting as necessary.
Community Amenity
The viewing terrace has been replaced with an community / retail space at the upper level, with access to a more generous terrace area, which can adapt to the needs of the town and interchange over time.
Active Travel Facilities
Active travel and welfare facilities contribute to increased well-being for staff and station customers.
Air Conditioning
Air-source heat pumps provide heating and cooling for conditioned spaces throughout the Interchange, including new shop units.
Building Structures
The challenges of fire resistance make it difficult to use timber as a structural material for stations. The building needs to be designed for a 100+ year lifespan, making steel the ideal material.
Steel is readily recyclable, as well as using steel from electric furnaces ensures the carbon impact of the new buildings is as low as is practical.
The new bridges have also been designed to minimise the use of concrete, and use the existing abutments for support.
