Arts Building, Manchester

Built at a cost of £55 million, this arts building for a Manchester-based university was designed to enhance the campus and support the institution’s sustainability agenda. The facility included a 350-capacity theatre, radio and television studios, and a full-sized art gallery, accommodating over 2,000 students daily. The project aimed to achieve BREEAM Excellent certification, reflecting best practice in environmental design, energy efficiency, and water management.

Sustainability features of the building included energy-efficient lighting, advanced building management systems, reduced mains water consumption, and rainwater harvesting. The combination of a large 4,000 m² roof area and high daily occupancy made it an ideal candidate for harvesting rainwater to minimise the use of high-quality drinking water for toilet flushing.

Stormsaver provided a non-pressurised rainwater harvesting system to supply 76 WCs across the building with recycled water. A 50,000-litre underground storage tank was installed to maximise water capture and savings, ensuring the system could meet daily demand reliably.

To further enhance water quality, UV (ultraviolet) filtration was incorporated, removing microorganisms from the rainwater before distribution to points of use. The system was designed for long-term reliability and low maintenance. Collectively, the rainwater harvesting system was calculated to deliver a potential water saving of 2,351,000 litres annually, significantly reducing mains water consumption while supporting the university’s sustainability objectives.