Office of the future
Bloomberg’s brand new European Headquarters in the City of London has been named the most sustainable office in the world, receiving the highest score ever achieved by any large development during design stage.
With a score of 98.5%, the building was rated as ‘outstanding’ against the BREEAM sustainability assessment, showing that despite Brexit, London remains one of the most significant cities for global investment.
At the beginning of October, the newly completed European headquarters for Bloomberg in London was unveiled in a series of photos and later opened at the end of the month, bringing the 4,000 London-based employees under one roof.
Founder of the company, Michael Bloomberg announced, “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.”
From the initial conceptual stage all the way through to construction, sustainability was at the heart of the agenda and was crucial in the iconic building achieving such a high score. The eco-friendly building now contains many unique elements which allow the structure to reach new heights in sustainability.
The bronze blades which have been installed at the side of the building can open and close, allowing it to act as a natural ventilation system. This takes the pressure off more energy intensive air-conditioning systems and significantly reduces the amount of energy that is being used.
Integrated ceiling panels also played an important role in the project with 2.5 million aluminium petals covering the ceiling throughout the building to combine heating, cooling, light and acoustic functions. This unique petal design along with the other technical elements mean that the building saves 35% in energy consumption compared to the typical office building.
Another important aspect is water conservation, a system which architects believe will save 25 million litres of water a year. Rainwater from the roof will be captured and then recycled by the vacuum flush toilets, allowing the building to use around 73% less water.
As well as focussing on sustainability, the new Bloomberg Headquarters has transformed office space and enhanced the working environment through open spaces and simple solutions such as providing desks for both sit-stand situations.
This ground-breaking building designed by Foster + Partners has defined the future of sustainable office buildings and is already inspiring the many innovative architects worldwide. It also could spark the beginning of a new era for office design where employees will be energised by the innovative space around them and a whole new level of productivity is brought to the workplace.
