The station recently became the first station to achieve the Breeam ‘Outstanding’ certification at the design stage, a measure of sustainability for new and refurbished buildings, putting it in the top 1% of buildings in Britain for eco-friendly credentials.
The first phase of HS2 comprises a new high-speed line linking London with Birmingham and Lichfield, which is expected to open in 2029.
The council’s planning team said that the design of the station “draws upon the historic and agricultural character of the local area and delivers a strong sense of place and identity through its architectural form and the design of its landscape.”
The station’s design makes use of renewable technologies, and will use natural ventilation, daylight, harvested rainwater and solar energy to reduce carbon emissions. The people mover will link the station to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham International Station and Birmingham Airport, carrying up to 2100 passengers per hour in each direction, with a service every three minutes along a 2.3km route.
“We’re extremely pleased to receive approval for the design of Interchange station, which will be net zero carbon in operation, and adopts the latest eco-friendly design and sustainable technologies,” says HS2’s stations director, Mr Matthew Botelle.
“The operation of our stations will play a key role in Britain’s fight against climate change and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Our architects and engineers have worked together with landscape architects, soil scientists, ecologists and water specialists to develop a truly unique, landscape-led, contextual proposition which draws on the local Arden setting for its inspiration, with lots of new habitats for wildlife.
The next steps for the project include continuing to work with SMBC and stakeholders on maximising the development opportunities around the site and awarding the construction contract in 2022, with construction planned to start in 2024.
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