BAM has won a deal to build a £192m low-carbon film and TV studio in Elstree, north of London.
The facility, which is being constructed for Legal & General, Sky and NBCUniversal, will have 13 sound stages and become home to film and TV productions from Sky Studios and NBCUniversal, attracting £3bn of production spend from its first five years of operation.
Once it opens in 2022, the studio will not use gas or fossil fuel to power day-to-day running of the site, instead using renewable energy, with the capability to generate up to 20% of energy on site through solar energy.
BAM Energy, part of BAM Construct UK, will help Sky to maximise the solar energy that is generated and used by the new studios. Meanwhile rainwater will be harvested around the site and BAM will source local and low-carbon materials in construction. Once the studio is in operation, no single-use plastics will be allowed.
BAM is also working with the local Job Centre Plus to offer a variety of construction related roles and will also offer apprenticeships, training and work placements for those who want to enter the construction industry, working alongside its supply chain. Overall, it is expected that Sky Studios Elstree will lead to the creation of over 2,000 jobs in the local area, including 900 during the construction phase.
The design for the new studios is being delivered by UMC Architects, Fairhurst and Hoare Lea, with Potter Raper Partnership undertaking the quantity surveying and project management of the scheme.
James Wimpenny, CEO BAM Construct UK, said: “We are proud to be an integral partner to achieving such an ambitious and sustainable scheme that will not only support the growth of the creative economy in the UK, but lead the way for others. This world class scheme reflects our own goals to be net zero carbon by 2030, to assist our clients in delivering net zero development and to enhance the lives of local communities, creating added social value.”
Caroline Cooper, COO, Sky Studios, said: “Sky Studios Elstree will enable us to produce more and more Sky Originals for our customers and is a key cornerstone of Sky’s commitment to become Net Zero Carbon by 2030. Working with BAM, we will select materials and use construction methods that support our goal to build the most sustainable film and TV studio in the world.”
