British Land wins gold for sustainable business.

British Land has been recognised for its work at Regent’s Place, as well as its approach to biodiversity and energy management, winning two out of only ten prestigious accolades at the inaugural Guardian Sustainable Business Awards this week and achieving a commendation for the energy award.

In the built environment category, British Land was recognised for its partnership with the local community and commitment to sustainability and regeneration at its West End mixed use development Regent’s Place.

Sustainable development and management is embedded into British Land’s core business and its engagement with the local community over two decades saw the company take the top spot. Through a masterplan developed with Terry Farrell & Partners, British Land has created an environment that achieves both commercial and community needs, with inspirational artwork, a children’s theatre, community spaces and greener homes and offices. It has also increased pedestrian permeability through the estate and created the first new pedestrian crossing over the Euston Road for ten years, improving-north south links.

In addition to its community efforts, sustainable development is at the heart of Regent’s Place. New buildings developed through the masterplan are up to 50% more carbon efficient than required by current standards and it is forecast that 2.4 million litres of water will be saved, as the result of a new rainwater harvesting system.

The judges thought that Regent’s Place combines measurable, positive community and environmental gains with impressive scale, breadth and potential for replication. They believed it is a clear demonstration of British Land’s commitment to embedding sustainability into its core business and that this strategic integration marks the company out and underpins its proactive, sector leadership stance.

Commenting on the award win, Sir Terry Farrell of Terry Farrell & Partners said: “We are delighted that British Land has received this award, which underlines Farrells’ ongoing commitment to work with our partners to set new standards for sustainability. We were early adopters of sustainability principles and our work over four decades has borne testament to this. This is a well deserved award that rewards a true leader in its field.”

In the biodiversity category, British Land was celebrated for its creation of 60,000 sq ft of green space in Central London, providing urban habitats for insects, birds and plants. The company has set the standard for biodiverse green roofs, incorporating them into all 10 of its recent London developments and retrofitting them to some existing buildings.

A study commissioned by British Land to monitor the effectiveness of its green roofs revealed that they are contributing positively to local biodiversity. In September 2010, a black redstart began to use the green roofs at Regent’s Place, just nine months after they were planted. This scarce species has also been sighted on the green roofs at Broadgate. In addition, more than 30 native plant species were found to be present at 201 Bishopsgate and The Broadgate Tower; over 60 native plant species were planted on the green roofs at Regent’s Place, whilst 182 mature trees were planted across the wider estate; and 60% of available roof space at Ropemaker Place is green roof and terrace.

“Rather than adopting off-the-shelf solutions, British Land worked in partnership with Arup to design mosaic-style green roofs that provide a carefully considered array of habitats with real ecological integrity”, commented Dusty Gedge, president of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations.

Finally, the company was commended in the energy category for successfully reducing energy use across its portfolio in collaboration with occupiers, notably at York House where British Land influenced usage has been cut by almost 40%. The company has invested almost £1 million to encourage its occupiers to participate in its energy efficiency drive.

Commenting on British Land’s success Adrian Penfold, Head of Planning and Corporate Responsibility at the company concluded: “Conducting our business in a responsible and sustainable manner is central to British Land’s core values and very much at the heart of everything we do. It is especially gratifying to have been recognised by these awards, which attract entries from a wide range of blue chip companies, many of whom are pioneering new approaches and achieving ever higher standards.”

Source: britishland.co.uk

British Land has launched Storey - the new brand providing flexible workspace for ambitious and growing businesses as well as larger organisations seeking additional space on flexible terms.
Created to fill a clear gap in the London office market which customers say is not being satisfied, Storey provides offices for companies employing between 20 and 70 people who have outgrown co-working space and whose needs have evolved. Storey also suits existing or larger office customers seeking project or shorter term space on top of their core requirements.
Storey will operate within British Land’s existing London assets, predominantly at its Broadgate, Paddington Central and Regent’s Place campuses. These have a critical mass of office customers and offer the ideal environment for ambitious organisations looking to grow. Storey customers will be able to access facilities traditionally reserved for larger organisations and automatically benefit from the broader campus environment where a focus on wellbeing also supports growth and productivity.
Storey will add to the evolving mix of these campuses, where additional retail and leisure uses have been introduced to adapt to modern workplace trends. All three campuses are on key London transport hubs, with Crossrail due to arrive at Paddington Central and Broadgate soon.
Storey’s simple and flexible workspace can be branded with an individual company’s identity. Supported by British Land’s property management arm, Broadgate Estates, it will ensure a seamless and reliable service. Space can be fully tailored to customers’ needs, with leases adaptable to their individual circumstances.
Chris Grigg, Chief Executive, British Land, said: “British Land concentrates on three core principles: understanding our customers so we can respond to their needs; creating great environments both within our buildings and their broader environments; and using our scale, expertise and long-term outlook to deliver value across our portfolio.
“Not only does the combination of these differentiate us, it also led us to develop Storey for a different customer base. By understanding the needs of ambitious SMEs and project teams, providing the right space for them and removing the hassle of running an office, it allows them to focus on their own businesses.
”We have the benefit of owning the buildings in which Storey will operate giving us much greater control of the service and experience customers receive, such as the quality of the technology and continuity of the Wi-Fi, one of the top frustrations identified in our research.”
Leases will be simple, jargon-free and all-inclusive, covering rent, business rates and service charges, secure, fully backed-up WiFi, reception service, cleaning and maintenance and office furniture. Storey will offer shared facilities including showers, bike racks, shared kitchen areas and meeting and collaboration space.
80,000 square feet of flexible workspace is already being fitted out. An additional 80,000 square feet of space has been earmarked for a further wave of Storey openings over the rest of the year.
The initial Storey locations will be at 18-20 Appold Studios and 2 Finsbury Avenue, both at Broadgate; and at International House, Ealing Broadway.