Opportunity Overview
Historic England is seeking to appoint a multidisciplinary design team to develop the Archive Decarbonisation Project at its national archive facility in Swindon through RIBA Stage 3. Under the terms of this contract, we reserve the right to award RIBA stage 4 following the satisfactory completion of stage 3 and the receipt of an acceptable return for Stage 4 methodology and pricing schedule (in line with rates provided at stage 3).
The Historic England Archive is one of the nation's most significant collections of records relating to England's historic environment. The purpose-built archive store was constructed in 1993 to BS5454 standards and provides specialist environmental conditions for the long-term preservation of nationally important photographic, film and documentary collections. However, the building and its associated mechanical and electrical systems were not designed with energy efficiency or net-zero objectives in mind.
The project forms a key part of Historic England's commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and responds to the urgent requirement to replace ageing building services plant that has reached, and in some cases exceeded, its operational life. Recent equipment failures have highlighted the increasing risk to collection preservation, building resilience and operational continuity.
A RIBA Stage 2 feasibility study has recently been completed. The study explored a range of options to reduce operational carbon, improve energy performance and secure the long-term sustainability of the archive while maintaining stringent environmental conditions required for collection care.
Based on the information provided, Historic England's preferred option currently involves:
• Replacement of existing end-of-life environmental control systems with significantly more energy-efficient solutions.
• Rationalisation of archive environmental zones to improve operational efficiency.
• Fabric improvements to enhance thermal performance and...
The Historic England Archive is one of the nation's most significant collections of records relating to England's historic environment. The purpose-built archive store was constructed in 1993 to BS5454 standards and provides specialist environmental conditions for the long-term preservation of nationally important photographic, film and documentary collections. However, the building and its associated mechanical and electrical systems were not designed with energy efficiency or net-zero objectives in mind.
The project forms a key part of Historic England's commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and responds to the urgent requirement to replace ageing building services plant that has reached, and in some cases exceeded, its operational life. Recent equipment failures have highlighted the increasing risk to collection preservation, building resilience and operational continuity.
A RIBA Stage 2 feasibility study has recently been completed. The study explored a range of options to reduce operational carbon, improve energy performance and secure the long-term sustainability of the archive while maintaining stringent environmental conditions required for collection care.
Based on the information provided, Historic England's preferred option currently involves:
• Replacement of existing end-of-life environmental control systems with significantly more energy-efficient solutions.
• Rationalisation of archive environmental zones to improve operational efficiency.
• Fabric improvements to enhance thermal performance and...
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| Issuing agency | Historic England |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Category | Government Procurement |
| Estimated value | $189,230 |
| Published | October 09, 2026 |
| Procurement stage | Request for Proposal (RFP) |
| Response due | Not specified / rolling |
| Status | Open — accepting responses |
| Official source | View original notice |
| Last verified | October 12, 2026 |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: UK Government (Find a Tender).
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