US financial data and media giant Bloomberg has unveiled its new environmentally friendly European headquarters in London, which it claims is “the world’s most sustainable office building” having received an ‘outstanding’ rating under BREEAM criteria. Located between the Bank of England and St Paul’s Cathedral in central London, the development officially opened yesterday and includes 1.1 million square feet of office space, three new public plazas, a dining arcade with new bars and restaurants, and a new entrance to Bank tube station. Designed by renowned architect Norman Foster’s firm, the development offers a 73 per cent water saving as well as a 35 per cent savings in energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions compared to a ‘typical’ office building and reportedly uses many ‘first of a kind’ waste green solutions. Integrated ceiling panels throughout the building incorporate 500,000 LED energy efficient lights, while bronze blades on the outside of the building open and close for natural ventilation, reducing dependency on air conditioning. And on the roof, rainwater is captured, treated and recycled to serve vacuum flush toilets, with the building’s water conservation systems overall saving around 25 million litres each year – enough to fill ten Olympic swimming pools.
Business Green 25th Oct 2017 read more »