The Scottish Parliament building is located 1 km (0.6 mi) east of Edinburgh and occupies 4 acres. Enric Miralles wanted to achieve harmony between the Scottish landscape, its people, culture, and the city of Edinburgh. The south-eastern area is extensively landscaped. Roof areas are covered in turf and wild grass providing members of the public with somewhere to sit and relax. Scottish wildflowers and plants cover much of the area, in sympathy with the nearby Holyrood Park and Salisbury Crags. The Dynamic Earth visitors’ centre also sits within the site.
The Scottish Parliament Building was designed with a number of sustainability features in mind. It was built on a brownfield site and all of the electricity purchased for the building comes from renewable sources and solar panels. A high level of insulation was used to keep the building warm during the winter months. The building achieves the highest rating in the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM).
Specifying the correct waterproof membrane for this unique building was of utmost importance for Enric Miralles & RMJM. PermaQuik was chosen for its proven track record and was also widely used beneath the intensive green roofs of the buildings.
