Mountbatten House (Now Plant)

Sustainable Listed Building Retrofit Case Study

Overview

Mountbatten House, now known as PLANT, is one of the most significant modernist buildings in the United Kingdom. Originally designed by Peter Foggo of Arup in the 1970s, the building has long been recognised as a landmark of modern architecture. Its distinctive terraced design and landscaped balconies earned it the nickname “The Hanging Gardens of Basingstoke”.

More than fifty years after its construction, the building required substantial investment to modernise its performance while preserving its architectural identity. Rather than replacing the structure with a new development, the project focused on delivering a sustainability-led retrofit, upgrading the building’s envelope and glazing systems while respecting its listed status and historic design intent.

Structura was appointed to carry out specialist façade engineering works as part of the building’s transformation. The project required careful coordination with heritage authorities and other specialist contractors to ensure the refurbishment maintained the building’s character while significantly improving its performance.

The result is a successful example of sustainable heritage refurbishment, demonstrating how historic buildings can be modernised through careful engineering, responsible material use, and circular construction practices.

Project Metrics

Key performance and project metrics include:

Building Age: Over 50 years old

Glazing Units Replaced: 1,000+

Glass Recycled: 45 tonnes

Energy Performance: EPC A rating

Sustainability Certification: BREEAM Outstanding

Project Type: Listed building retrofit and façade refurbishment

These metrics highlight the scale and sustainability impact of the project, demonstrating how existing buildings can be upgraded to meet modern performance standards.

The Challenge

Refurbishing a listed modernist building presents a complex set of architectural, environmental, and technical challenges. The Mountbatten House project required balancing preservation of the original design with significant performance upgrades expected from modern commercial buildings.

Preserving an Important Architectural Landmark

Mountbatten House is considered one of the most important modernist architectural buildings in the UK. Its distinctive façade, terraced landscaping, and curtain wall glazing system form an essential part of its architectural identity. Because of the building’s heritage status, refurbishment work needed to be carried out in close coordination with English Heritage and Historic England. Any upgrades to the façade or glazing systems had to preserve the building’s original aesthetic while improving its technical performance. This meant that large portions of the existing façade could not simply be replaced. Instead, the project required careful restoration and targeted upgrades.

Upgrading a 1970s Building Envelope

After more than five decades of service, many of the building’s glazing units had deteriorated or failed. The original façade system required upgrades to meet modern standards for thermal performance, solar control, weather resistance, and energy efficiency. At the same time, the refurbishment needed to retain as much of the original curtain wall structure as possible. More than 1,000 glazing units required replacement across the building. This presented a significant logistical challenge given the scale of the façade and the need to protect surrounding materials and structures during extraction.

Delivering a Low-Carbon Retrofit

Sustainability was a central objective of the project. Rather than discarding materials during the refurbishment process, the project team aimed to repurpose or recycle materials wherever possible. This approach required careful planning to safely remove existing glazing units while maintaining their suitability for recycling. The extracted glass needed to be processed in a way that allowed it to be reintegrated into the glass manufacturing lifecycle. Adopting a circular construction approach required collaboration between multiple specialist contractors.

Enhancing Building Performance Without Altering Appearance

One of the most significant challenges was improving energy performance while maintaining the visual identity of the façade. The new glazing solution had to deliver improved solar control, enhanced thermal insulation, and modern energy efficiency performance. At the same time, the appearance of the façade had to remain consistent with the original architectural design. This required careful specification of glazing products that matched the building’s aesthetic while providing improved performance.

Structura’s Solution

Structura delivered a comprehensive façade refurbishment solution designed to upgrade the building’s glazing systems while preserving the existing curtain wall framework. The project combined careful restoration of existing façade elements with modern glazing technology and circular material management.

Project Results

The refurbishment of Mountbatten House successfully transformed the ageing building into a modern, sustainable workspace while preserving its architectural heritage. Now renamed PLANT, the building stands as a strong example of how existing structures can be revitalised through thoughtful retrofit strategies rather than demolition and redevelopment.

Major Sustainability Achievements

The project delivered measurable environmental benefits through its focus on material reuse and circular construction practices. One of the most significant achievements was the recycling of 45 tonnes of glass, which was reintegrated into the glass manufacturing process. By returning the extracted material to the production cycle, the project reduced waste and supported the development of low-carbon construction materials.

Significant Energy Performance Improvements

Upgrading the glazing systems with modern high-performance glass significantly improved the building’s thermal and solar performance. These improvements contributed to the building, achieving an EPC A energy rating and BREEAM Outstanding sustainability certification. These are among the highest sustainability ratings achievable for commercial buildings in the UK. The upgraded façade now delivers energy performance that meets modern environmental standards while maintaining the original architectural character of the building.

Extending the Life of a 50-Year-Old Building

Rather than replacing the structure with a new development, the retrofit strategy allowed the building to be futureproofed for decades of continued use. The refurbishment ensures that the property can continue to function as a modern commercial workspace while preserving an important piece of modernist architectural heritage.

A Model for Sustainable Heritage Refurbishment

The newly renamed PLANT building demonstrates how historic buildings can be transformed through collaboration between engineers, heritage authorities, and specialist contractors. By combining façade engineering expertise with responsible material management, the project shows how retrofit construction can deliver both environmental and architectural benefits. For Structura, the project also provided valuable experience in working with landmark heritage properties and complex façade refurbishment projects.

Awards

Category: Architectural Glazing , Bespoke Glazing, Circular Economy Deglazing, Curtain Walling, Glazing Refurbishment, Listing Building Refurbishment, Structural Glazing, Sustainable Construction