The UK Green Building Council is planning to refurbish its headquarters in London with sustainability at the forefront of the project
Blueprints for the refurbishment of the UK Green Building Council’s (UK-GBC) London HQ have been revealed.
The project, which expects to complete in October 2016, aims to show the sector that low carbon building can be achieved.
The design team on the project includes Sweett Group, Cunduall, Sturgis Carbon Profiling, Barr Gazetas and the Building Centre leaseholders.
It will comprise of measures aimed at producing the lowest carbon footprint by exceeding the standard for carbon costs per square metre. Furthermore, 98 per cent of the existing building materials will be reused or recycles, while new materials will be sourced locally and with efficiency in mind.
The plans will see energy consumption at the HQ reduced by 40 per cent per employee by 2020. This will be achieved through measures such as revamping the lighting system in place. Additionally, the overall performance of the building will at least equal the REEB best practice benchmark.
UKGBC’s chief executive Julie Hirigoyen said: “We’ve set some stretching targets for our small office upgrade, in keeping with the ambitious nature of our mission – to radically improve the sustainability of the built environment.
“We’ve selected a design team who have not only demonstrated the solutions-oriented expertise needed for this unusual project, but who are enthused by working collaboratively.
“One of the requirements of the brief was a commitment to sharing the challenges and insights from this project with our members and the wider industry.
“Of course, UK-GBC is in a unique position to benefit from the good practice and generosity of its own members, which has so far proven outstanding.
“So whilst we recognise the project may not be replicable in its entirety, we hope the integrated design approach will inform other organisations however small to aim high on the sustainability of their fit-out.”
