One Southampton Street in Covent Garden, London, has an unassuming façade but this renovated office building achieved the highest post-completion BREEAM score ever recorded for an office refurbishment.
Charming but outdated, the 1930s building had fallen behind the needs of its tenants. John Robertson Architects (JRA) set about refurbishing it on a standard budget, carefully selecting materials and technologies that are commonly available. As a result the environmental performance of this refurbished office building is the sixth highest in the country, proof of the architects' philosophy that with care ordinary buildings can become extraordinary.
The company works on a principle of marginal gains – that making lots of small savings wherever you can adds up to large cumulative savings in energy use.
By comparing the energy efficiency of widely available products during procurement, JRA was able to make a huge dent in the embodied carbon – that which is emitted during construction – of the building. This is a significant portion of the whole-life emissions of a building.
One Southampton Street achieved an EPC rating of B-39, and exceeded part L of the building regulations by 46% on emissions and 30% on airtightness. On top of that, over 90% (by weight) of non-hazardous construction waste and 95% of demolition waste was diverted from landfill.
Now that the building is back in action, a Building Management system that identifies energy use across a range of activities, such as cooling plant and space heating, allows tenants to monitor and manage their energy use. And although the historic structure cannot support a green roof, JRA found a way to encourage local biodiversity by using pocket habitats and bird boxes.
It is a perfect example of JRA's approach to upgrading our town centres in manageable, affordable ways that allows them to become energy efficient while retaining their historic character.
Lorna Thorpe is part of the wordworks network.
The Guardian Sustainable Business Sustainability Case Studies contain articles on all the initiatives that met the criteria for the GSB Awards.
