BDP joins our infrastructure forum to talk about first net zero bus station

Above: St. Margaret's Bus Station, Leicester (BDP)

Bus connectivity has been at the centre of levelling up discussions with Future Cities Forum, and up against major rail projects, is often overlooked as an essential part of day-to-day infrastructure that connects communities.

Tom Hewitt, Director at architects BDP will be speaking at our infrastructure and energy forum in November at the City of London offices of international law firm, DLA Piper, about Leicester's new multi-million net zero carbon bus station which has just opened and is the first of its kind in the UK.

BDP has been describing the project:

'With the ambition for the building at St Margaret's to become one of the most sustainable transport hubs in the UK, the 1980s structure was stripped back to its partial steelwork frame as major elements of the previous building were retained and repaired to reduce the ‘embodied’ carbon cost of constructing the new building by an equivalent of more than 575 tonnes.

'The new landmark building creates a striking gateway into the centre of the city. It features a glazed concourse to maximise natural lighting and cut energy consumption and a curved aluminium roof where a solar array of 390 photovoltaic panels will generate more clean, green power than is needed to run the building.

'The building has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with the highest possible rating of A+ and a score of -4. This means that the new bus station building will achieve better than net zero carbon from its operational emissions.

'Bus passengers benefit from a completely redesigned, improved and more spacious internal layout with better seating, a new café, modern toilets complete with a Changing Places accessible facility, and real-time digital passenger information. The new building also provides significantly more capacity for national and regional services, with the number of available bays increased by a third from 18 to 24.

'Electric bus charging points have been installed and the new building offers secure storage for up to 100 bicycles, as well being the latest location for a docking station as part of the city’s new e-bike share scheme.

'Improvements to footpaths and roads next to the bus station are also complete. These include new and improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, safer crossings, new landscaping and more tree planting. The work help strengthen and improve links between key development sites and the city centre, including the new Savoy Street which provides a quick, direct pedestrian route link between St Margaret’s and Haymarket bus stations.'

Tom Hewitt, Architect Director at BDP, said:

“St Margaret’s Bus Station is now one of the most beautiful and important transport hubs in the UK and an exemplar for modern, sustainable design. Modern architecture should be careful, not careless, and transport buildings should respond to the requirements of modern cities like Leicester. Not only have we designed a world-class, inner-city building that is simple and practical but one that meets the LCC goal of becoming the most energy efficient station in the country. We are extremely excited by the possibilities that this new building brings to the city and we look forward to seeing it in use.”

Tom joined BDP in 2014, having previously been a director at 3DReid specialising in retail development and urban regeneration schemes with responsibility for the overall design integrity of all projects and co-ordination of design direction. He is now heavily involved in BDP’s major national and international retail led developments, including design and delivery. He places a strong emphasis on both conceptual clarity and commercial pragmatism to promote and deliver high quality architecture, considered spaces and dynamic environments.

Tom is a former president of the Birmingham Architectural Association and supports the Birmingham School of Architecture as a visiting critic and advisor.

Below: interior view of St. Margarets Bus Station, Leicester (BDP)