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The opportunity to build something innovative and impactful comes up so rarely so how do you make sure sustainability runs through the development of a new training centre and fire station? I share here how we have done just this in Horsham.
Named Platinum House after Queen Elizabeth II, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service’s new innovative training centre and fire station became operational in July 2023. The multi-million-pound site was commissioned by West Sussex County Council and supports the council’s aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
The last fire station to be built in the county was Bognor Regis Fire Station in 1975. We recognised that we needed an operational workspace that reflects the needs of a modern fire service and uses the latest technologies to keep firefighters safe. Working with construction contractors Wilmott Dixon, the dual-purpose site was designed and built with sustainability at its heart.
The training centre is the first to exist within West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, and separate spaces have been created for operational crews and those attending courses. The ground floor of Platinum House serves as a fire station which includes the appliance bay, gym and locker room, as well as the main reception, a delegate dining area and a community room.
Theory-based training facilities can be found on the first floor, including dormitories and incident command pods. The pods consist of a large screen which utilises XVR technology to replicate an operational incident. Incident commanders can immerse themselves in the scenario and communicate with the training instructors, located in a separate room, using microphones, speakers and cameras within in the pods.
The site incorporates several practical training environments including a state-of-the-art live fire training facility, a cold smoke training tower, and a road traffic collision training area. Having all our training on one site is saving us a lot of money and carbon emissions as staff no longer have to travel across the county to use the facilities of our blue light partners.
We have taken advantage of the move to this new building to change the way we work. The service is moving away from using paper. We use a digital booking system for spaces that are shared between the fire station and training centre. Our paperless environment is more efficient and ensures that security is of paramount importance. For example, when turning out to an emergency, the station has moved away from the traditional printed turnout messages that can be misplaced, and now have screens showing the incident details.
Care during construction
The relocation of Horsham Fire Station placed Platinum House next to a prestigious house estate, Highwood Mill. During the 18-month build open and transparent communication was consistently shared between Contractor Willmott Dixon, the fire service and residents of Highwood Mill with a monthly newsletter posted and attendance at regular residents’ coffee mornings. Residents also have a point of contact they can liaise with, should they have any concerns.
“Horsham Fire Station is crewed by 41 wholetime and retained firefighters. The crews regularly visited the site throughout the construction phase, so they have seen it develop from the first spade in the ground to the spectacular site it is today.
“Since becoming operational, we have had fire service colleagues from all over the world, get in touch to express their excitement. Colleagues from Ireland recently contacted us, and we have even had feedback from firefighters in Hong Kong. I really hope this development will act as a benchmark for future fire station builds and refurbishments.”
Horsham Station Manager, Roy Barraclough.
Green thinking throughout
Low-carbon technologies and renewable energy sources have been fitted throughout the site, including air source heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. The solar panels are monitored remotely by the county council to track their efficiency and find ways to generate income from their use.
While none of the service’s fleet is currently electric, we are currently exploring greener options and looking to invest in a more sustainable fleet, whether through fire appliances or officer vehicles. We are part of the county council and it has both electric and hybrid vehicles within its fleet, so we want to support staff with our electric vehicle charging facilities.
With Platinum House having an expected lifespan of 50 years, the service has carefully considered what requirements the building will need both now and in the future to ensure it is fit-for-purpose for the next half a century.
A unique design
The live fire training facility uses technology which reburns fire gases produced from the live fire scenarios, of which over 50 can be simulated, and releases it back into the atmosphere as non-visible heat haze. In terms of how much smoke gets released, it is no more than the amount produced from two log burners.
Prior to the site becoming operational, a key concern from those living in the neighbouring housing estate was the amount of smoke that would be generated from the live fire training facility. These concerns were soon mitigated after a resident questioned when it would begin to be used, only to find out it was already in regular use.
The outside of the building is fitted in gold metal cladding, a unique design choice which provides privacy for firefighters when training. Even more importantly, it means that those driving on the A24 will not get distracted by any training exercises.
Inside the live fire training facility there are repurposed items from Horley Fire Station, where the service previously held residential training courses. Inside you will find kitchen appliances, including ovens and sideboards, which firefighters must navigate their way round during a fire to test their search and rescue abilities with obscured vision, while wearing breathing apparatus.
“Having a multi-functional site that allows us to provide the best training for our staff – both theoretically and practically – was extremely important.
“We can now simulate a vast array of emergency situations at Platinum House which ensures that our crews are prepared for a huge variety of incidents, from chimney fires and high-rise fires to road traffic collisions and animals rescues. Ultimately, this level of preparedness will help keep our firefighters safer, as well as the communities we serve.
“Already we have completed a few courses at the site and the feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive, which is something I’m proud of. In time other services will be able to come and use our facilities too.”
Group Manager (Training) Jim Mackay.
Using colour to nudge behaviours
Sustainability is not just about power sources and reusing items, it involves thinking about how a building works for those based there. It’s a chance to nudge behaviours along the way. With smart design features, the site supports the aims of the Fire Brigade Union’s DECON campaign and maximises every opportunity to protect firefighters and prevent the risk of cancer and other diseases.
A vibrant colour scheme has been used to signify clean and dirty areas of the site, with green doorframes noting the clean areas, and red doorframes signifying the dirty areas. The colour scheme also extends to storage bins; contaminated fire kit is bagged up and placed outside in red bins, ready for the supplier of personal protective equipment, MSA Bristol, to collect. MSA then drop off clean personal protective equipment in the green bins.
There is also a space for crews to thoroughly clean their breathing apparatus sets; this includes a washing machine which can clean six sets at a time, and designated dryers. When clean, there is a separate room to house all the sets.
Gone are the days where dirty kit is celebrated and worn as a badge, the service now proudly stands by the motto ‘shower within the hour, though the aim is much greater and training candidates are asked to shower within 15 minutes of encountering contaminates. Firefighters must bag up and dispose of their contaminated kits, before entering through a red door and taking a shower – warmed by the air source heat pumps – in their individual bathrooms.
We have sought to reduce our environmental impact throughout the buildings and as a result, we have placed sensors in areas such as the drying rooms. Dehumidifiers come on when you enter and use the drying facilities, but automatically switch off automatically once moisture levels are controlled to reduce the power usage.
Creating a welcoming place to work
The clever design features don’t just stop at contaminants, a spotlight has also been placed on culture and catering for a diverse workforce. The locker room has been placed in the centre of the fire station with windows which span from the floor to ceiling, to deter people from using the space as an open changing area. Instead, changing must be done in the bathrooms.
All the bathrooms are toilets are gender neutral which ensures there is no divide between genders. There is an equal space for everyone who works together, creating a feeling of unity. There are also accessible toilets.
On the ground floor you have the option of taking the stairs or using the lift to reach the first floor, which is where you will also find accessible bedrooms for course attendees who use wheelchairs or have disabilities.
Named ‘The Retreat’, there is also a calming space for those wanting to spend time alone. The Retreat can be used as a prayer room, an area for breastfeeding mothers, or for those that have attended a traumatic incident and require time to reflect.
Within The Retreat is a bathroom which includes a footbath for those that follow the Islam faith. Individuals can perform wudu (a purification ritual to wash your faces, hands, arms, and feet before prayer), and rest on a bamboo mat to avoid touching the floor.
Thoughtful interiors
A lot of consideration has been given to the interior of the building, which has resulted in a peaceful and tranquil workspace. Though the site is adjoining a busy A-road, from the inside you cannot hear a single car pass. White walls are dressed in historical photographs which show Horsham’s rich firefighting history and large windows in the canteen look out to the drill yard, letting lots of light in and connecting both the inside and the outside.
The service is moving away from using paper by taking advantage of digital resources to carry out work. We use a digital booking system for spaces that are shared between the fire station and training centre. Our paperless environment is more efficient and ensures that security is of paramount importance. For example, when turning out to an emergency, the station has moved away from the traditional printed turnout messages that can be misplaced, and now have screens showing the incident details.
Adjusting and learning
After two months of bedding into the site, crews are now learning about what Platinum House has to offer and are spending time ironing out any wrinkles along the way. Our fantastic new sustainable building offers us the chance to experience a low carbon working environment that demonstrates how we too can contribute to the county’s carbon neutral ambitions.
