The University of Brighton’s Varley Park redevelopment aims to inspire its students, staff and wider community to look beyond the traditional models of student accommodation to present innovative and inspired ideas that create a vision for a more vibrant and sustainable environment for student living.

Involved in the scheme’s highly aspirational sustainable development from early design development. The complex phasing scheme aims to deliver a BREEAM Excellent within a tight cost plan by balancing ambitious energy, waste and water strategies, while maintaining connections to existing initiatives developed in and around the University through their Environmental Action Network.

A holistic energy solution was initiated which integrates all phases and includes a novel program to ‘design out waste’. Low-embodied, local materials were specified, and reclaimed or recycled products have been preferred. Chalk rammed earth walls are being optioned on the hub building, and hemp and lime technology is being investigated. The scheme presents an opportunity to provide a stunning, yet affordable environment in which to live and socialise, and to move towards the highest degrees of sustainability.