Cheshire police station is first in UK to achieve Passivhaus accreditation
A new Cheshire police station in Wilmslow is leading the way as one of the most energy-efficient and sustainable buildings in the country.
Opened in July, it is the only police station nationally and the first public building in Cheshire to achieve the international Passivhaus design standard.
It is also first public building in Cheshire to gain environmental gold standard.
The Passivhaus features are expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 90 per cent compared with a conventional office building. This also means significantly lower energy bills – helping to maximise the police budget and divert it to other areas.
The opening was attended by Cheshire police and crime commissioner (PCC) Dan Price, Chief Constable Mark Roberts and local dignitaries. The ribbon cutting to declare the building officially opened was carried out by children from local school St. John’s CE Primary.
Cheshire Constabulary Chief Constable Mark Roberts said: “It’s been a long time in the making, but I am delighted that we are opening this fantastic new police station. It is an important statement of our commitment to Wilmslow and the surrounding areas that we will maintain a strong police presence here. It is also right that we provide excellent working conditions for our hard-working officers and staff.
“This is part of our estates strategy for East Cheshire, and we now hope to make positive progress on a new station in Crewe to ensure our buildings are sustainable, environmentally friendly and fit for purpose.”
PCC Mr Price said: “One of my priorities is to modernise, including the police estate. This new building is leading the way, not only here in Cheshire but nationwide. Having police buildings that are fit for purpose is key in ensuring not only the comfort of officers and staff, but also our commitments to our communities and the environment.
“We are the pioneers of what modern energy efficient public buildings can be and this police station is the first step in this journey for us and the rest of the county.”
Jon Bootland, chief executive of Passivhaus Trust, added: “We are delighted to see the UK’s first Passivhaus certified police station. It makes so much sense that public buildings are opting for the Passivhaus standard, which brings a wide range of benefits, from drastically reduced energy bills and carbon emissions to improved comfort and air quality for occupants. Social housing, schools, swimming pools and health centres are already being built to the Passivhaus standard across the UK and now a police station.”