Due to open later in the City of London, Bloomberg’s new European headquarters is set to be the world’s most sustainable office building, a The building achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating against the BREEAM sustainability assessment method, with a 98.5% score. This is the highest design-stage score ever achieved by any major office development.
Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. said: “We believe that environmentally-friendly practices are as good for business as they are for the planet. From day one, we set out to push the boundaries of sustainable office design – and to create a place that excites and inspires our employees. The two missions went hand-in-hand, and I hope we’ve set a new standard for what an office environment can be.”
The cost is a staggering £1 billion and will be the new European headquarters iwith enough space for over 4,000 staff.The 1.1 million sq ft site — based in two buildings joined by bridges — is located between the Bank of England and St Paul’s Cathedral in London’s famous Square Mile.It also features a giant 210 metre ramp at its heart that aims to encourage collaboration between workers
Compared to a typical office building, the new Bloomberg building’s environmental strategies deliver a 73% saving in water consumption and a 35% saving in energy consumption and associated CO₂ emissions. Innovative power, lighting, evironmental air conditioning as well as water and ventilation systems account for the majority of energy savings. Designed to utilise waste products, respond to the building’s external environment and adapt to its occupancy patterns, many of these solutions are first-of-a-kind.
Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said: “In some of our first discussions on the project, Mike Bloomberg and I arrived at a ‘meeting of minds’ on how the design of the new Bloomberg headquarters should incorporate the highest standards of sustainability. The project evolved from thereon into a building that is one of the most sustainable in the world. The deep plan interior spaces are naturally ventilated through a ‘breathing’ façade while a top lit atrium edged with a spiralling ramp at the heart of the building ensures a connected, healthy and creative environment.”
The building is designed to use 73 per cent less water and 35 per cent less than a standard office building.
“We believe that environmentally friendly practices are as good for business as they are for the planet,” said Bloomberg’s founder Michael Bloomberg.”From day one, we set out to push the boundaries of sustainable office design – and to create a place that excites and inspires our employees,” he added.”The two missions went hand-in-hand, and I hope we’ve set a new standard for what an office environment can be.”
Alan Yates, Technical Director of BRE Global’s Sustainability Group said: “What sets the Bloomberg building apart is its relentless focus on innovation and its holistic, integrated approach to sustainable construction and design. Projects like these are really important in giving confidence to the industry to experiment.”
Designed in mind to have sustainable practice in place daily such as rainwater from the roof and grey water from basins and showers in the building is recycled by the vacuum flush toilets, a system that the architects say will save 25 million litres a year .
istinctive bronze blades on the side of the building can be opened and closed according to the weather. This natural ventilation system will take the pressure off more energy intensive air-conditioning systems.Bespoke ceiling panels with a petal design have been inset with 500,000 energy saving LEDs. The panels also combine heating, cooling and acoustic functions.Smart sensors adjust airflow according to the number of people in each building zone at any one time, a system expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 300 tonnes a year.
