New sustainable accommodation delivered for soldiers and families at Imjin Barracks
Above:
The new Single Living Accommodation (SLA) at Imjin Barracks near Innsworth in Gloucestershire.
Courtesy DIO / Crown Copyright MoD 2023
The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), working with the Army, has invested - and continues to invest - in improved Single Living Accommodation (SLA) for serving personnel across the Army estate. Imjin Barracks, Gloucestershire, the home of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, is the first site to benefit from a wave of new Net Zero Carbon accommodation.
The new SLA accommodation comprises 69 single ensuite bedrooms along with communal living, kitchen and dining facilities. The £13 million project was delivered by DIO on behalf of the Army, working with off-site construction specialist Reds10 and design and engineering consultants Arcadis.
Above:
Internal view of the new modular SLA at Imjin Barracks under Army Basing.
Courtesy DIO / Crown Copyright MoD 2023
Sustainability is at the heart of DIO projects and the new SLA block is one of the most advanced buildings in Europe for SMART building control, scoring 95% on the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI). Constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), the building includes sustainable features such as photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps for heating and hot water and a SMART building management system that learns how the building is used, ensuring it runs as efficiently as possible.
Mike Green, Chief Executive, Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said: “The new accommodation being delivered by DIO and its partners for single soldiers and military families at Imjin Barracks will benefit hundreds of personnel. This work reflects DIO’s continuing commitment to providing the best possible accommodation for the Armed Forces.”
Major General Richard Clements CBE, Director of Army Basing and Infrastructure said: “It is excellent to see the result of significant investment in new modern accommodation for Imjin Barracks, as part of the enduring commitment across Defence to enhance living conditions for our people.
“I am delighted that this building is now ready for occupation. The facilities and interior have been completed to an impressive standard and the design will contribute to local efforts to reduce the Army’s carbon footprint.”
Phil Cook, Defence Sector Lead & Director at Reds10, said: “It has been a pleasure to work on this first SLA alongside DIO, the British Army, Arcadis and the rest of the project team, improving the lived experience for Armed Forces personnel.
"The triple-storey net-zero carbon building was built off-site in our East Yorkshire factory and delivered to site 90% complete, allowing substantially faster delivery and of course less disruption to an active military site. Most importantly the design of the building has been led by how the spaces will actually be used by occupants, so it’s wonderful to see this start to happen.”
As well as improved SLA, Imjin Barracks is also benefiting from new high-quality, energy efficient homes for service families. DIO is pleased to announce that the first of 176 new carbon net zero homes in Gloucestershire are nearly ready for military families.
The homes were purchased from Taylor Wimpey as part of a £78 million deal through the DIO's Capital Purchase Programme and will support soldiers and their families based at Imjin Barracks.
All 176 homes have been designed to be Net Zero Carbon (NZC) ready in occupation. As well as reducing commuting for personnel based at Imjin Barracks, the new homes include sustainability measures such as low carbon heating systems, smart heating controls and electric vehicle charging points for every property.
The first move-ins will take place in early 2024 with all homes set to be completed by 2026.
The DIO Capital Purchase programme works in conjunction with major projects undertaken by Defence across the country. It identifies where there is a requirement for Service Family Accommodation and determines the most efficient and economically viable means of delivering high-quality homes for Service families.
In addition to the 176 homes at Imjin Barracks, last year DIO invested £173 million in purchasing 423 new homes across the UK in areas including Lossiemouth, Brize Norton and Portsmouth.
Imjin Barracks was identified as a location to purchase new homes under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army programme, which is delivering a better-structured, modern and more sustainable estate that improves security, resilience and Army capability.
