PORTAL

A new approach to building to meet the challenges of the Circular Economy

The majority of industrial building stock in Scotland is now over 50 years old, no longer fit for purpose.

PORTAL is an approach to building. Not a building solution. It is a product based on improving the value of our buildings while also taking positive steps towards meeting the challenges of the Circular Economy.

The PORTAL product is built around a methodology and toolkit that offers a staged approach to designing industrial buildings. We believe the approach has built in sufficient flexibility to offer value to both Public and Private sector investors.

PORTAL guidance

What is PORTAL?

The PORTAL product is built around a methodology and toolkit that offers a staged approach to designing industrial buildings. We believe the approach has built in sufficient flexibility to offer value to both Public and Private sector investors. The main user-audience is intended to be the Scottish SME market.

 

PORTAL is founded on:

  • Delivering Circular Economy principles
  • Redefining the concept of Value
  • Promoting the growth and development of Scottish economy and manufacturing

It proposes an approach that demonstrates the opportunity to save on capital expenditure and proposes opportunities and ways to re-invest this in return for a higher quality product, hence greater value.

 

The 3-stage approach aims to achieve value at every stage:

  • Stage 1- Lean design / Be Efficient: Find opportunities to reduce capital expenditure
  • Stage 2 - Improved / Be Adaptable & Flexible: Re-invest the savings to deliver a better product for the same cost
  • Stage 3 - Upgraded / Be Resilient: Targeted capital investment to achieve long-term value/ benefit

A design toolkit

Structure

Structure is the most durable part of a building, “designed” to last at least 100 years. The structure of a building should be designed so it can be adapted and re-purposed throughout its lifespan.

Services

PORTAL proposes a reduction in the level of servicing and adopts a warm air heating strategy that encourages a low carbon future.

Envelope

The guiding principle for designing the envelope for PORTAL is based on designing a solution that is efficient, standardises products and creates a modular set of components that makes the most efficient use of structure, minimising waste.

Cost

PORTAL positively encourages investors to adopt Circular Economy principles, demonstrating how we can build a higher quality product, balanced with cost and other commercial factors, to achieve greater value.

Project partners

Design team