In this series, we're taking a closer look at some of the local landmarks that have been designed and built in the North East by NBS customers using NBS software.
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre, at Once Brewed in Northumberland, opened to the public on 29th July 2017 and has since received acclaim from visitors and Northumberland businesses as a whole. It was developed with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The facility, run by Northumberland National Park Authority, features a landscape exhibition, a temporary exhibition space, learning and event spaces, a local produce café, rural business hub, a world-class 86 bed Youth Hostel and a shop specialising in local crafts and produce. The Sill’s fully accessible living whin sill grassland roof sweeps gently upwards, giving visitors a bird’s eye vantage point across one of the UK’s most magnificent landscapes and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hadrian’s Wall.
JDDK have been using the Revit platform for Building Information Modelling (BIM) and drawing development since 2008 so it was a natural step to use this on The Sill project where the difficult geometry and lack of 90 degree angles lent itself to this technology. This was the largest and most complicated model JDDK had created to date and led to the team winning the prestigious RIBA North East Award for 2018.
The Sill contains a café, rural business hub, youth hostel and shop
Along with developing federated models within the design team, to allow checking and clash detection, there was a need to develop a specification for the construction phase of the project. Where previously specifications had been difficult to incorporate into the technical detail of design, during the early project stages NBS released the NBS Create specification tool and this gave JDDK a chance to embrace this challenge on The Sill and push the technology forward.
Using NBS Create alongside Revit allowed JDDK to develop the construction drawing package in tandem with the specification and seamlessly integrate the two. Rather than just using this as a tool for 3D elements JDDK pushed this feature to include all the 2D elements used for construction detailing within the project enabling swift, accurate development of the construction package and consequently allowing for easy specification and drawing changes where required. The approach also gave consistency across the large design set; reduced notation errors and drafting time; and allowed JDDK to develop new workflows for future projects. The contractor appreciated the clarity and accuracy of the technical documentation during the construction phase.
The Sill’s fully accessible living roof sweeps gently upwards, giving visitors a bird’s eye vantage point across one of the UK’s most magnificent landscapes
Project Architect, Alison Thornton-Sykes, said: “The whole team at JDDK are incredibly proud of what we achieved at The Sill. Our brief was for a landmark building which would become the hub of visitor activities, welcoming visitors and supporting communities throughout the Northumberland National Park. Sustainability and public consultation were at the core of the design process with the finished building inspired by the rugged Northumbrian countryside. A contemporary addition to the landscape, respectfully fitting in to its natural surroundings.”
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre in Northumberland
You can visit The Sill during the Great Exhibition of the North and enjoy 'Digital Landscapes', which showcases how digital technology can be used to gain a deeper understanding and enjoyment of landscape and the natural world. For further information,
visit the Sill website.
NBS and BDP join forces to improve generic carbon data in construction
Today, NBS (part of Hubexo), the platform for connected construction information, announces a long-term strategic partnership with BDP, a major global multidisciplinary practice of architects, designers, engineers and urbanists. The partnership recognises BDP's integral role in the development of NBS LCA, a new life-cycle carbon assessment platform providing professionals with high-quality, reliable and easy-to-use carbon data to ensure accurate tracking as construction projects evolve. BDP's primary contribution to NBS LCA has been the development of more than 1,300 pre-calculated generic assemblies, covering the most commonly used building fabric elements alongside key concrete and steel structural elements. These assemblies provide whole-element carbon data, giving designers consistent, UK-relevant carbon benchmarks from the earliest stages of project design. Users can easily and instantly apply carbon rates to a range of pre-configured common building elements, including walls, floors, and roofs. Developed by BDP and NBS, the assemblies remove the need for designers to manually build up material layers or calculate individual components at the concept stage. This saves significant time and effort, enabling proportionate and responsible carbon evaluation early in the design process, when decisions have the greatest impact on a project's overall carbon footprint. BDP also participated in collaborative workshops that directly informed the development of NBS LCA, helping to shape a tool that is practical, accessible and aligned with real-world UK construction workflows. Dr Lee Jones, Head of Sustainability at Hubexo, said: “BDP's contribution to NBS LCA has been invaluable. Their depth of project experience and technical knowledge has directly shaped the generic assemblies at the heart of the platform. These assemblies give designers a reliable, UK-relevant starting point for carbon assessment, without the burden of building everything from scratch. This is exactly the kind of collaboration that moves the industry forward, and we're proud to be working with BDP on a long-term basis.” Julia Yao, Associate, Sustainability Consultant at BDP, said: “Carbon assessment needs to be embedded in design from day one, not bolted on at the end. Working with NBS to develop its LCA product has been a genuine opportunity to put that principle into practice. The generic assemblies we developed draw on real project data and are designed to give designers meaningful, actionable carbon information at the concept stage. We're delighted to see them at the core of a platform that will be used across the industry.” With the UK Government outlining its commitment to responsible carbon reporting through its Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, professionals need reliable, easy-to-use tools to assess and report embodied carbon. NBS LCA addresses this need by integrating carbon calculations with live design work, drawing on structured data from Circular Ecology's ICE Database and more than 12,500 verified, specification-ready construction products with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) from NBS Source and ECO Portal. Over the coming months, NBS and BDP will continue to develop their partnership, with a shared commitment to improving the quality and accessibility of carbon data for construction professionals across the UK. NBS LCA is available now, with flexible subscriptions designed for all professionals. For more information, visit the website here.
Product update
Bourne Amenity NBS case study: Finsbury Circus Gardens
Bourne Amenity recently supported the restoration of London’s Finsbury Circus Gardens by supplying specialist soils, bark and materials for the soft landscaping works, providing the right foundation for the new planting and lawn areas.
Hubexo UKI achieves independently verified carbon neutrality for 2025 against ISO 14068-1:2023 Independent verification returns a 0% QA variance rate Emissions intensity reduced from 13.14 to 11.65 tCO₂e per £m revenue year on year Achievement supported by energy efficiency measures, renewable energy provision, improved supply chain measures, and long-term net zero targets Local bio-diversity gains supported through local afforestation projects Hubexo UKI, incorporating NBS, Glenigan and CIS Ireland, has been awarded Carbon Neutral status for the fourth consecutive year, independently verified against the internationally recognised ISO 14068-1:2023 standard for Carbon Neutrality. This achievement reflects not only the accuracy and transparency of the carbon reporting by Hubexo UKI, but also its commitment to meaningful emissions reduction and long-term decarbonisation. The carbon neutrality verification covers all UK operations for 2025 across Scope 1, 2 and material Scope 3 emissions. The third-party assessors conducted a two-stage verification process, returning a 0% QA variance rate, confirming a high-level of data integrity, supported by robust, auditable evidence. Delivering Carbon Neutrality and Beyond Following verification of its emissions inventory, Hubexo retired 896 tonnes of CO₂e through independently verified Gold Standard carbon credits linked to renewable energy projects. The achievement extends beyond offsetting alone and is underpinned by operational changes. With the future in mind, NBS relocated its Newcastle headquarters to a modern BREEAM excellent-rated, fully electric office powered by 100% renewable electricity, projected to save approximately 60 tonnes of carbon per year, with the carbon reduction benefits of this switch being enabled from 2026 onwards. These actions support Hubexo's broader objective of reducing emissions at source and lowering reliance on offsetting over time. Although the business grew during the reporting period, emissions intensity fell from 13.14 tCO₂e per £m revenue in 2024 to 11.65 tCO₂e per £m revenue in 2025, an indicator that carbon emissions are becoming decoupled from business growth. Alongside verified offsetting activities, Hubexo has funded planting 800 native UK trees local to its offices through environmental partner Carma Earth. The initiative supports biodiversity enhancement, community green spaces and programmes that help military veterans access nature-based therapy and employment pathways. Building Towards Net Zero This milestone sits within a broader decarbonisation journey. Hubexo operates within a group-wide climate framework with targets to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2045, in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for the IT and software sector. Plans for 2026 include eliminating fossil fuel heating, deepening supplier engagement through new ESG technology and transitioning supply chain reporting from spend-based to activity-based methodologies. Dr Lee Jones, Head of Sustainability, Hubexo UKI said: "Achieving independently verified carbon neutrality under ISO 14068 reflects our commitment to transparency, accountability and climate action, and whilst we acknowledge that this is merely a stepping stone to our long-term commitments, it gives our customers, partners and colleagues confidence that our environmental claims are backed by solid data and independent scrutiny. “Sustainability is about more than carbon accounting alone. We're reducing emissions at source, investing in our communities and working toward a clear net zero pathway. Together, we're building a more sustainable future for the construction sector, and that's something the whole team can be proud of.” Joanne Keit, Hubexo UKI President, added: “Building a sustainable future is at the heart of Hubexo’s mission. We are committed to driving innovation and empowering our customers to create a better, more sustainable world. That’s why we are delighted to have achieved carbon neutrality once again. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability and reducing our environmental impact. Our customers can be confident that we continue to take meaningful action to operate more responsibly and support a greener future. “Not only have we maintained carbon neutrality for the fourth year, but during our largest-ever UK hub relocation, we also successfully reduced our overall emissions. This is a significant collective achievement, and one that we are incredibly proud of.”
The Sill contains a café, rural business hub, youth hostel and shop
