NEWS
RESPONSIBLE REGENERATION - THE ANATOMY OF A GREEN OFFICE
July 2008
It is a fact that for most people in the developed world, most of their time, their actual living environment, is spent inside the built environment. These artificially created spaces have, statistically speaking, a far greater and more immediate impact on quality of life than any interaction people may have with the natural world.
Environmentally positive buildings are therefore important but can they be built, cost effectively, to meet the needs of potential occupiers? Or, is the over-riding duty for ‘green offices’ to become the benchmark standard for all new build? Plus, what are the promised gains and what factors need to be evaluated at the design and planning stages prior to construction?
Bill Houle of Trigram Developments in conjunction with Folkes Holdings Limited and Corum Investments is one of the first developers to consciously ‘go green’ with a speculative office development in Birmingham City centre and he believes ‘green offices’ are worth it for everyone.
Langley Point, off Bath Row, is a 44,500 sq ft office, due for completion in spring 2009 and is on course to achieve a high scoring BREEAM excellent rating. The rating will assess the management, energy use, health and well being of users, air and water pollution, transport, land use, materials and ecology relating to the building.
“Langley Point is an ethical choice, created to be a cleaner, more energy efficient and healthier place to work. However, it cannot be so without other factors being considered. We had to understand the economic and social dynamics of Birmingham in order to create the most sustainable solution. Everything is a balance. That balance is financial, environmental and operational. For twelve months we researched local market needs, occupier demands and materials needed for construction in order to deliver sustainability. The case for the environment, like it or not, has to be considered in economic terms. If a building isn’t economically viable it won’t get built no matter how worthy its ideals are and therefore won’t exist to make a positive contribution. We’re spending 10 –15% more to build Langley Point but it will be significantly more appealing to let, once complete, due to its green credentials. In the near future existing office stock will have to face the challenge of ensuring their energy efficiency can compete with the likes of Langley Point and that will not be easy to do for refurbished offices.“
At times the choices are more complex than they may at first appear. For instance, recyclable materials that may perform the most cost effectively in use may also have to be sourced and produced in the most environmentally damaging way.
“We have been careful to select materials that are positive both in terms of their application and sourcing.”
Green buildings highlight the need to use less virgin materials, less energy, cause less pollution and create less waste.
Houle sees this as a local issue as much as a global one.
“We have used the existing masonry and foundations on site, along with materials sourced from other local sites, which is locally cleaned and crushed and re-used on site as hardcore. Yes, it’s only one building, but the redemption of brownfield land gives an instant environmental payback – it is great recycling.”
Energy use in buildings accounts for 40-50% of UK annual emissions of carbon dioxide.
“We looked at energy consumption and knew of its relation directly and proportionately to harmful environmental impacts such as resource depletion, habitat destruction by fuel extraction, environmental damage from processing and transportation and photochemical smog.
Energy consumption solutions at Langley Point include the use of passive chilled beams for temperature regulation and solar panel heating for hot water. Chilled beams use natural air-flow. They require fewer people to install and critically require less maintenance over their longer life cycle. They are more energy efficient and more cost effective to run with a reduction in CO2 emissions.”
Research carried out by Trigram Properties also concluded that end users preferred the climate within a chilled beam system office. This could eliminate ‘sick building syndrome’ which is a recognised condition associated with workers in buildings using conventional mechanical air conditioning.
Power factor correction will be provided in order to minimize wasted
electrical energy by ensuring the current and voltage remain 'in phase'
with one another.
The actual building is only one half of the equation. Sustainability is also about the effects on the local community.
“For occupiers of Langley Point there will be less reliance on the car, more access to public transport and more cycling to work. It is a short walk into the city centre and less than ten minutes walk from New Street station. Bus routes are also plentiful from Bath Row. Langley Point is on one of Birmingham’s strategic signed cycle routes. Secured bike storage will be included in the undercroft car park with shower facilities provided on each floor of the building.”
So, what will be the rental costs of all this innovation?
“We expect rents will be in the low £20s, that’s below Birmingham City Centre market levels, and below other new build, grade A office space. Green really is good news for everyone.” Said Houle.