→ 75% BREEAM MAT01 calculator credits
→ Focused on re-use and retain of existing materials
→ 35% CO2 reduction over new construction standard
→ 955 sqm of modular green wall added
→ 675 sqm of SuDS blue roof space added
Situated in the heart of the City of London’s financial district, Angelo Gordon and Endurance Land’s major sustainability-focused refurbishment and extension will breathe new life into the five historic, interlinking, Grade II- listed properties which form 1–5 London Wall.
Sensitive interventions will add over 2,000 sqm of open plan workspace and 2,753 sqm of retail space will also be created. Ground floor areas will be enlivened by a new public walkway, linking Bloomfield Street with Finsbury Circus. At the top of the building, a double-mansard extension will add a new 8th floor with new terrace spaces offering outstanding views across the City.
A commitment to cutting carbon forms the foundation of the sustainability strategy, seeing the team minimise the use of new materials. Focusing on the retention of existing building elements, the design is underpinned by a philosophy of balancing embodied carbon with ensuring maximum future adaptability.
New M&E systems are designed to minimise impact on historic building features, whilst slashing energy consumption and CO2 emissions. By utilising heat pumps, energy-efficient lifts and LED lighting for the offices, emissions will be cut by half compared to pre-refurbishment levels. New floors will include high-performance facades to reduce heating and cooling loads.
The development will feature Underfloor Air Distribution (UFAD) throughout, helping achieve the CO2 reduction of 35 per cent compared to new construction standards, whilst drastically reducing the quantum of building services materials used in initial installation and over the operational life cycle and building churn.
Key environmental interventions include: rationalised existing floor plates for future re-purposing; extensive new green to boost biodiversity; clients commitment
to keeping carbon expended to a minimum with ‘Gold Standard’ carbon offsets to match that generated by the refurbishment; electricity consumed will be procured through a ‘green tariff’; extensive living wall as part of the biodiversity enhancement; existing structural columns strengthened rather than replaced, and use of a lightweight structural solution for the extension avoiding foundation reinforcement; rainwater to be recycled for toilet flushing; off-site modular construction will be prioritised to reduce waste and facilitate ultimate deconstruction under the circular economy assessment design process.
