Planned visitor attraction aiming to be a UK leader in energy efficiency

A new maritime experience at Hull’s historic North End Shipyard is set to become one of the most energy efficient buildings in the UK’s cultural and heritage sector.

As part of the Hull Maritime project, the historic shipyard will become the home of the Arctic Corsair, Hull’s last remaining sidewinder trawler.

To showcase and celebrate the trawler’s story, a state-of-the-art ‘Passivhaus’ building – which is sympathetic to the industrial heritage of the area – will sit alongside the ship, the dock and the last Scotch Derrick crane in Hull.

The attraction, designed by architect Purcell, is being developed to achieve rigorous Passivhaus standards – a German model which cuts a building’s energy consumption, requiring very little energy to heat.

This method achieves savings of up to 90% compared to a typical new building. It is being achieved through the early engagement of TGA Consulting Engineers with Purcell Architects and Hull City Council.

Passivhaus buildings mainly use passive heat sources like the sun, household appliances and human occupants to cover heating demand.

The exhibition area of the visitor attraction will be typically heated using less than 1.3 kW per hour – equivalent to a small plug in domestic heater.

The two-storey visitor centre will include an entrance space, extensive exhibitions that will tell the story of Hull’s last sidewinder trawler and the heyday of Hull’s trawling industry.

An interactive learning space to engage and educate young people also forms part of the scheme.

The 5,380 sq ft building will use a system of heat exchangers which collect heat leaving the building and use it to warm the colder air coming in. This approach will also cool the building in summer.

Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration, planning, land and property, said: “North End Shipyard is one of Hull’s hidden gems, an area at the very heart of the city’s maritime and trade history which spanned the world.

“These highly ambitious plans will not only create a new visitor attraction that will showcase the many maritime stories but also achieve the best energy efficient standards.

“This will be a remarkable achievement and demonstrates our continued commitment to sustainability and to Hull becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”

Owen Plummer, senior architect at Purcell, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Hull City Council in their commitment to a sustainable future for the city.

“Through our design of a new visitor centre to Passivhaus standards as a key aspect of the Hull Maritime project, this significant yet overlooked area of the city will be rejuvenated and brought back into use as a visitor destination in its own right and as part of the wider interpretation of Hull’s maritime heritage.”

Due to open in 2023, the attraction incorporating the Arctic Corsair, shipyard and visitor centre is expected to draw 135,000 visitors a year.

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