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4 Eco-Friendly Offices in London (Second Home, Sustainable Workspaces & More)
As the world works against the clock on a climate recovery plan, businesses are playing their part by setting net zero targets. Considering the built environment accounts for 40% of global carbon emissions, choosing green-rated or eco-friendly office space is a powerful step towards a healthier planet.
40%
40% of almost 400 global businesses surveyed have a publicly stated net zero carbon target, and 77% of those have set themselves a 2030 target date.
More and more businesses are turning their attention to ESG, with a particular focus on the Environmental aspect. The climate crisis is critical, and with such high stakes, businesses around the world have bet their reputations on making a difference.
We’re witnessing this intent first-hand. Our latest edition of (Y)OUR SPACE found that 40% of almost 400 global businesses surveyed have a publicly stated net zero carbon target, and 77% of those have set themselves a 2030 target date. The recent release of the IPCC report, which indicated that climate change is widespread and intensifying at pace, should only accelerate these efforts.
As Lee Elliott, our Global Head of Occupier Research, explains: “The science underpinning climate change is unequivocal. We have no more than 30 years to save the planet from unsalvageable damage.
“This, in turn, has forced the hand of business leaders. They recognise that addressing the issue of climate change and sustainability equates to good business, not just good branding. They realise that it is their responsibility to act in order to reduce the corporate carbon footprint, thus alleviating growing environmental pressures.”
David Goatman, Department Head of our Energy, Sustainability and Natural Resources team adds: “Beyond being simply the ‘right thing to do’, there is now growing evidence that a strong emphasis on ESG fundamentals enables companies to differentiate themselves, gain a competitive advantage, and accrue financial benefits. The real estate choices a [business] makes will either facilitate their net zero carbon journey or impede it.”
It's true – real estate is a big part of the solution – but it’s often overlooked. Despite the built environment accounting for 40% of global carbon emissions, almost 60% of the global leaders we surveyed said their wider business only partially recognises the role that real estate plays in sustainability targets.
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The benefits of eco-friendly office space
Green, high quality office space doesn’t just benefit the environment, it benefits businesses, too, and this is becoming more widely acknowledged. When asked: “What do you regard as the main benefits of occupying ‘green’ accredited real estate?”, 53% of businesses we surveyed said it supports ESG strategies – including net zero carbon targets, 49% said it enhances their brand, and 40% said it improves their business’s attractiveness to clients and customers.
Plus, younger generations of talent are becoming increasingly green-conscious, and in turn, want to work for businesses that align with their ethos.
It comes as no surprise, then, to see why some of the world’s most competitive brands occupy impressively sustainable buildings. Take Amazon for example. Not only does its Seattle office include The Spheres – a jungle-inspired, plant-filled greenhouse of workspace – but it sits opposite a data centre that gives off excess heat from its computer servers. Amazon extracts this heat waste, pushes it through heat-reclaiming chillers, and uses it to heat its own office.
Such world-class examples are aspirational, but businesses can start small, with an office that simply features eco-friendly aspects. These can include building designs that minimise energy demand through thermal storage; effective waste management and recycling; integrated renewables; smart lighting and sensor usage; mobile apps that help customise environments (such as lighting and temperature); built-in e-mobility solutions, internal green spaces and external ecological corridors.
For teams keen to make a difference, here’s a handful of environmentally friendly offices in London.
4 eco-friendly offices in London
Second Home, Spitalfields
Second Home, Spitalfields
68 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5JL
Second Home is famed for its biophilic office design. Its Los Angeles office features an acre of outdoor space, comprising garden offices and LA’s densest urban forest – with 6,500 trees. Here in London, its Spitalfields space (the original launchpad) exclusively features mid-century recycled furniture – you’ll never find two chairs that look the same.
Plus, it features over a thousand plants, with in-house gardeners visiting twice a week to make sure they’re always looking fresh. For events and networking, the top floor includes a bar and a terrace that overlooks the City, with inside-outside ponds and plenty of reeds to complete the landscape.
Sustainable Workspaces, County Hall
Sustainable Workspaces, County Hall
Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7PB
Andrew Wordsworth, Chris Morris and James Byrne wanted to tackle the twin challenges of climate change and resource scarcity. Over nine years of working towards this purpose, they have launched 10 sustainable companies under the umbrella of Sustainable Ventures.
But as Sustainable Ventures grew, their teams struggled to find office space that was well-located, affordable, equipped for a growing headcount, and had the right space for prototyping. So, they decided to create their own, branding it Sustainable Workspaces.
Not only is the workspace inhabited by sustainable businesses, but reclaimed materials make up the vast majority of the County Hall fit-out. Members’ products are also utilised throughout the space, such as the Toast beer in the bar, (which uses surplus bread as opposed to virgin barley to reduce the demand for land, water and energy) and Extract Coffee Roasters coffee in the café (which builds long-term, sustainable relationships with its farmers based on a quality-pay ethos).
Enquire about office space in County Hall
Myo, Dashwood House, Liverpool Street
Myo, Dashwood House, Liverpool Street
69 Old Broad Street, London, EC2M 1QS
When it comes to sustainability, Dashwood house has an impressive list of features. 100% of its electricity is supplied from renewable sources, and 100% of its operational waste is diverted from landfills, with 85% of it being recycled. The building also holds a BREEAM rating of Excellent, and Myo’s workspaces are designed to achieve the WELL Building Standard (Gold target).
Situated in a newly redeveloped 17-storey building, Myo’s four floors of workspaces feature timeless interiors, versatile breakout areas and carefully curated artworks. Offices also include plenty of biophilic design, providing lush, air-purifying greenery.
Enquire about office space in Dashwood House
Orega, Old Bailey
Orega, Old Bailey
20 Old Bailey, London, EC4M
Just a stone’s throw away from St Paul’s Station, 20 Old Bailey is known for being energy efficient. It offers confidential waste collection with secure, sustainable shredding and disposal; secure cycle storage, allowing teams to reduce their carbon footprint with an active commute; and climate control facilities which allow teams to heat or cool their space as they like it, avoiding one sweeping temperature across the floor.
Plus, with plenty of natural light, tech-enabled meeting rooms and unlimited, espresso-based coffee you can order from your phone, eco-conscious teams are bound to hit the ground running.
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