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A business that moves to a greenfeld site has a golden opportunity to make a bold environmental statement.With a blank canvas to work on, the right budget and sympathetic architects and offce planners, it is relatively easy to create a low carbon building. But what about businesses that have to make do with existing premises? How easy is it for them to design a more sustainable workplace?

To demonstrate how even businesses that can’t change the main structure of a building can cost-effectively create sustainable offce interiors, Morgan Lovell recently refurbished its London offces occupying two storeys of a seven-storey 1960s offce block in Noel Street, Soho.

Designer Elaine Duke’s brief was to create a carbon-neutral offce, with a comfortable, inspiring interior that improved communication between staff. To dispel the notion that sustainable workplaces cost as much as 30% more than conventional developments, the project had to be fnancially viable and cost little more than a normal ft-out.

Morgan Lovell’s refurbished offces successfully combine a new interior layout, eco-specifcation of materials, energy-saving features and sustainable working practices and in February became one of the frst ft-outs to receive a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. The working environment has been improved by moving most employees onto the same foor, with meeting rooms and break-out areas for greater staff interaction. An interior décor inspired by the ‘offce at home’ concept – comfy sofas, bookcases, decorative wall coverings, staff snapshots and chill-out areas – is said to enhance motivation and creativity. Offce furniture and decorative elements have been selected for their eco-credentials, with restrictions on ‘travel miles’ encouraging the local sourcing of materials. There is a clear preference for items with a high recycled content. The kitchen worksurface is made from recycled plastic bottles and the entrance mat from recycled car tyres. Herman Miller Aeron chairs are 66% recycled and 94% recyclable.

A variety of energy-saving systems and features have helped Morgan Lovell cut energy bills by 11% despite rising energy costs. These include zone-based lighting and infrared movement sensors; dimming lights that automatically adjust intensity to natural lighting conditions; a zoned heating and cooling system that can move hot air from an area being cooled to one that needs heating; and energy metering for each foor and the air conditioning system.

The offces are powered by green energy; car parking spaces have been replaced by bicycle racks; desktop printers have made way for centralised devices with duplex printing set as the default; and underdesk bins have been removed, encouraging staff to use the central recycling area with facilities for recycling paper, cans, light bulbs, cardboard, glass, electrical items, batteries, wood and plastic. A wormery in the break-out area turns food waste into compost.

Facilities managers can fnd out more about sustainable offces by downloading Morgan Lovell’s free step-by-step guide to creating a ‘green’ offce interior from

www.morganlovell.com/sustainability

10 sustainabletimes 0870 903 9500

Morgan Lovell’s refurbished London offces show that ft-outs can be sustainable and cost-effective

Green light for

eco interiors

The meeting room has 100% recyclable doors made from FSC walnut timber.