NTU – Design & Digital Arts Building
At the heart of Nottingham Trent University’s City Campus, the Design and Digital Arts Building stands as a symbol of creativity and sustainability. This development expands the Nottingham School of Art & Design, offering facilities for students in digital arts. Encon Associates is proud to contribute to this visionary project, ensuring the highest environmental standards are met from concept to completion.
The Design and Digital Arts Building is a forward-thinking 5,300m² facility designed to inspire the next generation of digital communicators. As the new gateway to NTU’s City Campus, it delivers educational excellence and sustainability leadership. The building was designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent and an EPC A rating, showcasing its low energy demand and environmental credentials.
The project redefines how educational spaces can embrace climate resilience. Features such as the blue roof and biodiverse green wall highlight the building’s holistic approach to sustainability.
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Client Nottingham Trent University
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Location Shakespeare St, Nottingham
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Period 2022-2024
Encon Associates played a vital role throughout the project, providing expert advice and guidance from the earliest stages of planning through to final handover.
The impact of the development reaches far beyond the university. With local community involvement, sustainable procurement, and student engagement at every phase, this project stands as a model for how thoughtful design can support education, economy, and environment alike.
Our Services
BREEAM Assessment
As accredited BREEAM Assessors, we guided the project through every stage of certification, from pre-assessment to final submission. Our focus was on ensuring that environmental performance was embedded into the design from the outset. The building achieved BREEAM Excellent, reflecting best practice in energy use, materials, and sustainable construction.
Landscape and Ecological Management Plan
We prepared a detailed LEMP to enhance site biodiversity and support the long-term health of local ecosystems. This included planting strategies with native species and maintenance guidance to ensure ecological features, such as the green wall and landscaping, continue to thrive and deliver measurable benefits.
Green Wall Design
One of the most visible symbols of the building’s environmental ambition is its green wall. We supported the design and specification of this feature, selecting plant species that would enhance air quality, promote biodiversity, and contribute to the building’s sustainability goals, while complementing the urban context.
Sustainability Champion
Encon Associates acted as Sustainability Champion throughout the project lifecycle. We coordinated with all project stakeholders to integrate sustainability targets, provide design reviews, and track environmental performance. Our input ensured that key sustainability ambitions, including decarbonisation, circular materials use and user wellbeing, were realised on site.
“It was a real pleasure working on the new Dada Building for Nottingham Trent University, in collaboration with the main contractor Bowmer and Kirkland. Opportunities to contribute to projects so close to home and with such a positive impact on the city are rare. Being involved in a scheme based in my hometown made the experience all the more meaningful.” – Glenn Miles, BREEAM Assessor, Encon Associates
“As a resident of Nottingham, it’s great to see this impressive new Art & Design building nestling in the city Skyline. We were part of the design process for the green living wall high up on the roof terrace and when I catch glimpses of it, I know we played our part in encouraging biodiversity into the city.” – Mark Bentley, Landscape Designer, Encon Associates
Want to gain environmental credits or need planning advice for your next project?
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Encon Associates were knowledgeable and very supportive to Bouygues UK in resolving the issues relating the BREEAM certification relating to the retail units at Abbey Road Barking.
They were involved from the start in obtaining the necessary information from the consultants, produced the Green Lease documentation for the shell and core retail units and resolved the final outstanding issues which the BRE required in a timely manner.
All round performance very good.
