Innovate Green Office: a new standard for sustainable buildings

The Innovate Green Office in Leeds, UK was awarded the highest ever Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method (Breeam) score of 87·55. While previous exemplar sustainable buildings have been constructed for owner occupiers, this project is a demonstration of a sustainable commercial office built speculatively by a developer. The £5·5 million, 4350m² building demonstrates a wide range of novel techniques for reducing resource consumptionand carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions both in construction and use. Featuring passive environmental design, the building eschews bolt-on sustainable technologies in favour of good insulation, thermal mass and daylight to reduce emissions of CO₂ to 20%; of a conventional office building. Importantly, savings in energy and water consumption at a time of increasing volatility in energy costs also provide savings in operating cost, making the building commercially attractive.