Eco-offices Should Always Receive the Green Light

Eco-buildings come in many different forms: self-sufficient or autonomous structures, self-build, wooden timbre-framed, cob cottages, traditional mud and stud, to name but a few. Some are high tech, others are low tech and some eco-architecture has even gone underground to conserve heat.

Like all good architecture, of course, modern eco-buildings with closely with the climate and attempt to harmonise with their environment. The relationship is strengthened by them passively capturing solar energy, rainwater and harnessing wind to generate energy that can be subsequently stored and used – with surplus energy often being sold to the national grid!

Now, the more environmentally-conscious architects and builders have integrated this eco-concept into commercial developments across the UK, more notably in densely populated cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, to create work spaces that are more “self-sufficient” and “greener” to keep up with the insatiable demand from forward-thinking businesses. The balance of luxury and sustainability is now essential, and although still important, previous key attributes of a great view, gym and capacious canteen area are further down the list of requirements when searching for the right office space.

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) recently advised that non-residential properties can achieve a zero carbon output, providing that onsite renewable solutions are employed. There is a cost associated with building to zero carbon. Expenditure varies widely with both the form and use of a building. Preliminary modelling, however, suggests that the premium could range from over 30% down to as low as 5 or 10% of current baseline costs.

“We have a challenging, yet realistic timeframe for achieving zero carbon with new non-domestic buildings,” says the UKGBC. “With a trajectory in place similar to that adopted for the Code for Sustainable Homes, then a deadline of 2020 is more than feasible.”

This wave of green office development is splashing on other towns and cities across the UK too. A £50m project was irrefutably backed this year by Norwich County Council to turn a neglected area of land into eco-friendly offices. The council’s planning committee supported proposals to demolish a former electricity board site in Duke’s Wharf, creating 1,000 new jobs and a site that would include shops, restaurants and a river side path. If local authorities capitalised on pockets of disused land such as this, then would it not gradually improve the infrastructure and environment for the long term?

You’d certainly expect the National Trust in Swindon to be located in an environmentally sound building, and rather unsurprisingly, they occupy one of the greenest offices in the UK. Carbon emissions are 65% less than similar developments, largely due to a formation of photovoltaic panels (silicon panels that collect sunlight and convert it into solar energy) on the roof, which provide 30% of the annual electricity use. Eco-friendly materials, such as PVC-free linoleum and water based paints were used throughout the building.

The Jubilee library in Brighton, has become one of the main tourist attractions in the city, not before causing political controversy with its procurement by the council through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) process. Politics aside, the architecture, engineering and green elements are all blended intricately into one; using the cement in the building as an energy store to either heat or cool the building accordingly. There are also solar-controlled louvres on the vast glass exterior, which prevents the interior from over-heating.

Archirect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw has found a better way to use fish and chip wrapping and old newspapers; he’s used them as insulation for the floors, walls and roof of the Eden project’s offices; making it one of the best insulated buildings in the country. The structure is also raised off the ground on timbre columns to minimise the volume of soil removed from the site during construction, and to reduce the amount of cement (one of the most un-eco-friendly products available) required to build it.

Although these are ambitious eco-projects, they have laid the green foundations for the future. The idea of a sustainable building is by no means a fad, more a long-term program that businesses, local authorities and ultimately the government will need to drive forward.

Serviced Office Company are one company situated in the UK that are taking their stance for environmentally friendly serviced offices. Not only do they offer exclusive office space in London and Manchester, they are conscious in making businesses reducing their impact on the environment. To reinfore this ethos, they have recently created and opened offices near Canary Wharf; introducing energy efficient heating and cooling systems, automated lighting and water saving devices, with all electricity provided by green energy supplier Ecotricity.

“We’re one of a kind in London,” says Simon Eastlake, General Manager. “Our new serviced offices in Canary Wharf gave us the opportunity to do something really unique and we decided not to compromise on anything, especially when it came to the environment.”

“Companies need to show not only investors but also employees that they’re aware of environmental issues. By taking serviced office space with us, they’re making a very powerful statement.”

So the future for eco-offices, and eco-buildings as a whole, is certainly bright and green if the changes are made now. You can no longer just have plants in the office to call it green