BREEAM Outstanding for Broadgate Estates’ New Office
25 August 2016
BREEAM Outstanding for Broadgate Estates’ New Office
25 August 2016When Broadgate Estates relocated to its new office, known as The Hub, the focus was on creating the right environment to attract and keep talent, and providing the best conditions for people to flourish and enjoy their work. This would provide a platform for Broadgate Estates to delight clients. Achieving a high BREEAM rating was an objective for the project team from the outset.
Key Facts
- World’s first BREEAM Outstanding Fit-Out
- 97% of employees believe The Hub is positive for corporate image
- 86.5% of employees believe The Hub supports their wellbeing
Situation
Broadgate Estates is a leading property management company, which is committed to high sustainability standards. It is an independently operating subsidiary of British Land.
When Broadgate Estates was outgrowing its old offices and wanted to bring all its people onto a single site, the company relocated to The Hub, on the second floor of 2 Kingdom Street, Paddington Central. The project team for the 2,429m2 space included architects Magnus + Associates, project managers GVA Acuity, contractor Overbury and services engineers Edward Pearce.
Broadgate Estates, using its own in-house technical resources set a clear sustainability brief for the project team from the outset, including a minimum BREEAM Excellent rating. This was key to demonstrating Broadgate Estates’ sustainability credentials and capabilities to clients and employees. It also supported the delivery of a high-quality working environment for employee wellbeing and resource efficiency.
Actions
Wellbeing (79% BREEAM score)
- All finishes have low or no volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde content. Post-completion testing shows air quality much better than required, with VOCs 0.278μg/m3 versus 300μg/m3 BREEAM limit, and formaldehyde 0.34μg/m3 versus 100μg/m3 BREEAM limit.
- CO2 sensors installed, so fresh air can be supplied based on the number of people in the building at any time, rather than based on a standard ratio of workers per sq ft.
- 81% of all working areas with seven metres of windows and views outs, with adjustable blinds fitted.
Energy (100% BREEAM score)
- New smart energy meters installed to monitor heating and cooling, as well as electricity. Data is automatically recorded every 15 minutes and is visible via an online tool, to support good energy management.
Transport (100% BREEAM score)
- Cycling facilities increased, with a new total of 178 cycle spaces and eight showers available for all the building’s occupiers.
- Connectivity was key in the choice of Paddington Central, located next to Paddington station and the Regent’s Canal.
Materials (75% BREEAM score)
- All timber from well-managed forests, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
- All internal partitions, flooring, wall finishes and furniture sourced from manufacturers with strong responsible sourcing credentials.
Waste (89% BREEAM score)
- Zero project waste to landfill, through recycling, re-using and re-purposing materials where possible.
- Procurement and supply controlled to minimise waste, e.g. pallets leased, plasterboard waste collected for reprocessing by the manufacturer and carpets measured tightly to minimise offcuts.
- Extensive recycling facilities included in the new space.
Financials and benefits
- Total project cost of £1,438/m2 - including the Overbury Construction contract works, moving costs, professional fees, Broadgate Estates’ direct IT and AV costs and loose furniture costs.
- BREEAM assessor fee: £12,150
- BRE certification costs: £1,435
- Additional fees for BREEAM reports:
- Daylight calculations: £1,095
- Sun-tracking report: £225.
Since moving to The Hub, Broadgate Estates has:
- Recruited talent from major multi-nationals and increased employee satisfaction – contributing to Broadgate Estates’ achieving its first One Star rating in The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For.
- Enhanced employee wellbeing, with uplifts in wellbeing scores across the board – 86.5% believe The Hub supports their wellbeing.
- Showcased Broadgate Estates’ property management capabilities – 97% of employees believe The Hub is positive for corporate image.
- Demonstrated Broadgate Estates’ sustainability capabilities – achieving the world’s first BREEAM Outstanding Fit-Out, the highest rating.
Broadgate Estates believes that benefits are also starting to reach clients. Having the right people in the right place and working collaboratively means that Broadgate Estates can operate smarter and better, speeding up response times and developing new ideas and innovations – all contributing to improved service delivery.
Challenges and Achievements
BREEAM
How to achieve the world’s first BREEAM Outstanding Fit-Out?
Broadgate Estates set a clear sustainability brief from the outset, including a minimum BREEAM Excellent rating. The BREEAM assessor Verte reviewed sustainability objectives at the brief stage. So, the whole Team knew exactly what was expected from the start and they really took ownership and embraced the spirit of the project. GVA Acuity set out roles, responsibilities and key milestones for each project stage. Overbury’s site sustainability manager also visited the site every two weeks, checking issues such as all timber FSC certified, progress on the Considerate Constructors Scheme, mechanical and electrical commissioning, recycling rates and design changes that might affect BREEAM credits. Overbury scored at least 8/10 on every aspect of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, reflecting care about appearance, community, environment, safety and workforce. British Land provided input, particularly on wellbeing.
IMPACT
How to evaluate the impact of the new space on employees?
Broadgate Estates wanted to have something more tangible than a ‘feeling’ that employees were happier in the new space. So, building on a wellbeing and productivity study by British Land at its head office the year before, they partnered with The Monomoy Company to measure three data sets, before and after the refurbishment:
- Perception survey measuring employee views on the office space and their own wellbeing and productivity.
- Physical monitoring of environmental conditions, e.g. humidity, light, noise, pressure, temperature and VOCs.
- Financial review of organisational data, e.g. employee turnover, medical costs and days lost to sickness.
The first data set shows improvements across the board after the refurbishment. The Team is now monitoring environmental conditions and organisational data.
Find out more
Rob Fisher
Technical and Environmental Director
Broadgate Estates
www.broadgateestates.co.uk
*Please note that the information on this page was supplied by the BBP Member and the BBP assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content
