Collinson Construction begins work on net zero headquarters for council

Catterall-based Collinson Construction has begun work refurbishing a former NHS building in Penrith into net zero carbon headquarters for Eden District Council.

Voreda House will be converted into an office building offering a single site for the council whose operations are currently split over two outdated buildings. 

It will also provide a viable location for the new Westmorland and Furness unitary authority, one of two Cumbria local authorities being created in April 2023 under local government reorganisation.

Collinson Construction will work alongside 2030 Architects, Baker Mallet and Greengauge, and will achieve net zero status by using Passivhaus design principles.

Voreda House’s existing windows and cladding will be removed and replaced, as well as significant roof works and the installation of new mechanical and electrical systems. The project is scheduled to be completed and handed over to the council by the end of 2022.

Robert Duxbury, managing director of Collinson Construction, said: “As well as helping the local authority to deliver services more efficiently from a single site, this project will give an outdated building a new lease of life and a bright, low-carbon future."