Post project appraisal to establish the performance of a site against the most important context-driven sustainability issues.
Halcrow were originally involved in the project as part of the design team for the revitalisation of the citycentre square. Upon completion, the client was concerned that the project had not been as sustainable as they had hoped. Halcrow was commissioned to undertake an independent review of the sustainability of the project.
A simple, bespoke set of HalSTAR (the Halcrow sustainability toolkit and rat ing system) appraisal criteria were developed based on Southampton City Council’s planning requirements and sustainability guide, as well as the SEEDA sustainability checklist. The assessment showed that most project sustainability issues had been addressed very effectively, although a conventional drainage design was used rather than a SUDs scheme.
Outcomes and benefits to client
The use of HalSTAR meant that it was possible to only take the core requirements for the client and the area into account. As a result, the appraisal was carried out much faster and cheaper than the alternative (a CEEQUAL assessment) and focussed on the key issues of importance to the context. The results were transparent and highlighted the roots of the council’s original concerns while showing that overall the project was very sustainable.