10 Brindleyplace: retrofit hits top ESG targets

A healthy occupier proposition

Health and wellbeing is becoming increasingly important to discerning occupiers. At 10 Brindleyplace, occupier amenities include an on-site café, fitness facilities including a fitness studio and bouldering wall, cycle storage for 100 bicycles, electric vehicle charging and two communal roof terraces.

As one of the first Fitwel-certified buildings in Birmingham, 10 Brindleyplace will support health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Green behavioural change

The new 10 Brindleyplace aims to decarbonise its occupiers transport habits by delivering 100 cycle spaces, with dedicated cycle entrance, showers, lockers, and drying rooms. Research shows that replacing 100 car journey commuters with 100 cycle commuters reduces car miles equivalent to three laps around the planet each year.

To encourage occupiers’ employees to spend more time outside, the building features green roofs, terraces, and landscaped open spaces, supporting both biodiversity and wellbeing.

There are also 24 electric vehicle charging bays, which could save the equivalent CO2 of 74 double decker buses per year, if used by 24 electric vehicle drivers who would otherwise have travelled in petrol or diesel vehicles.

How 10 Brindleyplace retrofit will achieve BREEAM Excellent

At the pre-construction assessment, the Venture team focused on planning so that the project could achieve its BREEAM goals. The principles of the project needed to be organised and designed accordingly.

During the construction phase, the Venture team focused on implementing the detailed construction plan, which enabled the project to gain BREEAM points for the following:

• The appointment of Sustainability Champions at the design stage and during the monitoring process ensured ongoing compliance with the project’s ESG criteria and targets. Life cycle assessments and elemental life cycle costs were calculated using BREEAM compliant methods.
• The project team committed to meet relevant criteria relating to monitoring energy, water use, transport of materials to and from site and waste from site. During the project, 100% of construction waste was diverted from landfill, either to be reused on other projects or recycled.
• The project design achieved BREEAM points for its indoor air quality plan, low carbon design, energy efficient lighting, safe walking paths to public transport hubs, the provision of cycling facilities, and efficient water consumption.
• Following the implementation of an ecologist’s recommendations, the ecological value of the site has been safeguarded, with effects on biodiversity minimised through a five-year landscape and habitat management plan, including a green roof, and planting in line with ecologists’ recommendations.
• Timber used in the redevelopment project was sourced in accordance with the UK government’s timber procurement policy, which must be legally harvested and traded to ensure sustainability.

Operational carbon efficiencies: 65% annual energy saving 

The design of the redeveloped 10 Brindleyplace has drawn on thermal insulation, air tightness, glazing ratios and glass specifications to reduce heating and cooling demands, thereby saving energy, operational costs and carbon.

The saving in energy compared to running a typical office could run 177 homes for one year. In fact, the building will deliver a 65% annual energy saving compared to a typical office of equal size, equating to 658 tonnes of CO2 per year, or the same mass as 100 Bullring Bulls.

The EPC for 10 Brindleyplace is already in line with Government requirements for 2030.

The development has been designed with a 53% operational carbon reduction compared to pre-refurbishment. The need for gas and fossil-fuels has been removed, instead utilising all-electric heating, cooling and hot water systems. The system will be powered by renewable green energy, delivered in part by on-site solar PV, helping to reduce operational costs.

Mechanically ventilated via a central air system, the building will incorporate smart controls in occupier areas, which will have ceiling finishes, raised access floors and efficient lighting installed. The building will achieve WiredScore Platinum certification, supporting data connectivity and off-site server options, reducing onsite power demand.

In addition, smart building technologies will be deployed to provide real-time energy management using data from smart meters monitored via a digital twin. This will allow ongoing performance management, helping to maintain energy and operational cost reductions, as well as contactless lighting and the management of indoor air quality.

10 Brindleyplace to hit Net Zero and a 60% embodied carbon reduction after retrofit

The iconic 10 Brindleyplace is in the final stages of its reinvention. Managed with a strong emphasis on sustainable design, the redevelopment scheme will achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.

The existing building foundation, basement and structural frame have been retained, which has enabled significant savings of almost 60% on embodied carbon, compared to creating a new development, according to a projected 60-year building life cycle assessment.

In managing the project, the Venture team tapped into the wealth of ESG expertise across the wider Workman business, with valuable Net Zero insight, contributing to the scheme’s design, and ongoing operation.

At the earliest stage of the project, a Net Zero Asset Plan was carried out by the Workman ESG team, and a further NZAP will be carried out at the completion stage of the project to capture the as-built position.

The Venture Project team’s work continues apace at 10 Brindleyplace, where the façade is being completely redesigned to improve it’s identity, with a contemporary pale grey brick. New floor-to-ceiling windows and double height window openings will also allow more natural light to infiltrate the building.

The development is designed with a 53% carbon reduction compared to the pre-refurbishment, and has removed the need for fossil-fuels, utilising an all-electric heating and cooling system.

Occupier amenities will include fitness facilities including a fitness studio and bouldering wall, cycle storage for 100 bicycles, electric vehicle charging and two communal landscaped roof terraces.

Great work by the entire team including Willmott Dixon, Associated Architects LLP, Thamesis, RLF, Cundall, and Wintech, Façade Engineering Consultants.

Thank you for the video, created by Associated Architects LLP.

10 Brindleyplace retrofit enters final stages of completion

The £39.75m retrofit refurbishment of 10 Brindleyplace is now in the final stages of completion, creating a 210,000 sq. ft building in the centre of Birmingham like no other.

The project, managed by Venture, Workman Projects, has transformed this landmark building both inside and out – from its six roof terraces and efficient facades to a fully tech-enabled user experience, bouldering wall, EV charging spaces and much more. With so many benefits, and such incredible views from the top, this will be a fantastic building for future occupiers.

The project has a strong emphasis on sustainable design. The completed building will achieve #BREEAM Excellent and will be Birmingham’s first to receive Fitwel Certification System accreditation, due to its focus on technology, wellness and sustainability.

Six new roof terraces have been created with the installation of an external green roof by NRA Roofing & Flooring Services, along with external and internal living walls by Biotecture. These additions are an environmentally friendly way to help utilise space and provide benefits to the building and its occupants.

10 Brindleyplace awarded string of certifications after back-to-the-frame retrofit transformation

CBRE Investment Management has announced that its back-to-the-frame retrofit transformation of 10 Brindleyplace, project managed by Venture, Workman Projects, has been awarded a string of certifications – including being named one of Birmingham’s first office buildings to receive Fitwel accreditation – a standard that measures occupant health and wellbeing, as reported by Commercial News Media.

Birmingham’s largest office refurbishment scheme, 10 Brindleyplace has achieved the following market-leading certificates:

• EPC A rating
• BREEAM Excellent
• Fitwel 2 Stars
• WiredScore Platinum

Nick White, Director at CBRE Investment Management said: “The refurbishment of 10 Brindleyplace has always been about creating office space fit for today and the future needs of our occupiers. These certifications align with our focus on sustainability, wellness and technology and we will be delivering office accommodation that sets new standards in the Birmingham office market.”

The scheme, due to complete next month, will see the creation of 210,000 sq. ft of high-quality grade A office space, with one of Birmingham’s largest available office floorplates, at over 27,000 sq. ft.

The £40m back-to-the-frame retrofit transformation of 10 Brindleyplace – Birmingham’s largest office refurbishment scheme – is now complete.

Lead project manager Paul Stanley, Technical Director in Workman’s Venture team, said: “The complex refurbishment and retrofitting of large office buildings is a growing theme, as investors seek to improve the ESG performance of their holdings and avoid carbon-intensive knockdown-and-rebuild strategies. 10 Brindleyplace is a beacon of best practice for this effort – having transformed two smaller outdated office spaces into an industry-leading workspace that sets the bar for both Birmingham and the wider UK office market.”

In this ambitious project, the existing building foundation, basement, and structural frame have been retained, which has enabled significant savings of almost 60% on embodied carbon when compared to creating a new development, according to a projected 60-year building lifecycle assessment, led by the Venture team.

The scheme, in collaboration with Associated Architects and Willmott Dixon Interiors , has combined 8 and 10 Brindleyplace into a single building, achieving a 210,000 sq. ft floor plate of high-quality grade A office space, with one of Birmingham’s largest available office floorplates, at over 27,000 sq. ft.

In managing the project, Venture tapped into the wealth of ESG expertise across the wider Workman business, with valuable Net Zero insight, contributing to the scheme’s design, and ongoing operation.

At feasibility stage, a Net Zero Asset Plan was carried out by the Workman ESG team, and the intention is to review building performance post-occupancy as part of a re-evaluation of the Net Zero position in operation.

With a strong emphasis on sustainable design and occupier wellness, the building – which includes a basement-level bouldering wall – meets Net Zero targets in operation with an EPC A rating and has achieved a BREEAM rating of Excellent, along with Fitwel 2 Stars and WiredScore Platinum.