Mayville Community Centre
The first certified Passive House, non-domestic retrofit in the UK, revitalising the local community while achieving over 85% energy savings
The Mayville Community Centre (renamed the Mildmay Centre) is the UK's first non-domestic retrofit to be certified to the full Passive House standard.
Built circa 1890 as a brick and concrete electricity generating station for the North London tram network, it was converted to a community centre in the 1970s, providing a focal point for the residents and a valuable community resource.
We insulated the 19th Century building envelope and opened up the basement to provide more usable space. Draught-free construction, triple-glazed windows and onsite renewables all contributed to the improvements. All junction details are designed to prevent or minimise thermal bridges and meet the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) energy calculations.
The refurbishment cost just 7% more than if it had simply achieved the basic requirements of the Building Regulations, yet it achieved an astounding 95% energy savings over its first winter of operation. Onsite energy generation is via 126m2 of photovoltaic panels generating 18kWp of electricity; 3m2 of solar thermal provides hot water and a ground source heat pump provides heat to the radiators for the tiny space heating requirement. Other features include rainwater harvesting, two native wildflower meadow roofs and an ecologically sensitive garden for community food growing projects.
bere:architects introduced the building to its users in a Soft Landings workshop, where we explained how to make the most of its benefits. For more information on this, please see the films at the bottom of the page.
Photography: Tim Crocker, bere:architects
