08 Mar 2025

UHDL: Building The UK’s First Carbon Net Zero Healthcare Centres

Client:                                                 United Healthcare Developments Ltd.
Budgets:                                            £5.7M - £6.9M
Completion:                                       Summer 2024
Location:                                            Greater Manchester
BREEAM rating:                                ‘Outstanding’

At a glance

Horwich and Shaw & Crompton Medical centres span 27,692 and 18,417 sq. ft respectively, and now mark the third and fourth Net Zero Caron primary care centres built by Caddick on behalf of United Healthcare Developments (UHDL). The completion of these future-proofed facilities follows the newly built Milnrow & Newhay Medical Centre and Carlisle Healthcare South Hub, and prove what’s possible through collaborative working, phenomenal design processes and progressive ideation.

What took these projects a step beyond was Caddick's efficient working relationship with family-run business, UHDL, a creative design process implemented from the offset, and a high-quality build using only sustainable practices and materials - all of which contributed to the unique builds status as BREEAM Outstanding developments.

The buildings themselves comprise one single building each spanning over a ground, first and second floor levels that are now used to provide suites for consultation, examination, treatment and meetings. These vital developments also include a secure car park for employees, patients and visitors, paved areas, lighting and landscaping to create high quality outside spaces.

The build process

Delivered in partnership with PRP Architects, both facilities’ impressive energy performance is rated at -3 / A+ making them Net Zero Carbon buildings, with a large portion of their power supplied by renewable energy through solar panels.

Through early client engagement we understood UHDL’s unique brief, potential stakeholders, and the determination to address the energy intensive needs of primary care. With meticulous design and build processes focussed on integrated ventilation systems and a ‘fabric first’ energy efficiency design, these plans pushed the limits of what can be achieved in sustainable design.

The two buildings' envelopes have been uniquely designed to the highest levels of efficiency, negating the need for traditional heating systems and avoiding reliance on fossil fuels. Each habitable room across the two developments have a constant turnover of fresh air, creating an exceptionally comfortable working environment for the building users. With EPC ratings of A+ (-8), these two facilities now sit proudly in the Net Zero Operational Energy Category.

Life beyond the build

Both Horwich Medical Centre and Shaw Crompton Medical Centre were designed with community in mind. Throughout the build of Shaw & Crompton Medical Centre, Caddick made nearly £2,000 of donations to local community causes. These include a £200 donation to Oldham Foodbank, a £250 donation to the local Scout’s hut, and a £1,500 donation to Wildbrook Growing Project, an allotment scheme that grows produce for local food banks.

Elsewhere throughout the Horwich Medical Centre development, Caddick made a number of community investments, including a £1000 sponsorship of Adlington Panthers FC kits, a £500 donation towards new shed and shelving at Horwich Allotment, a £250 donation for Horwich Foodshare and a volunteering project on behalf of Computer Xplorers Tech Summer Camp.