Arup champion ESG above all else in the advice that they provide and how they run their own business. With BNPPRE’s shared view of the ESG agenda, we were the ideal partner to provide relocation advice for their third largest global office.
This search was initiated prior to the pandemic but as we began to emerge from lockdown, the requirements that were put in place seemed all the more essential for the future.
We were instructed to advise on the relocation of their third largest global office, which employs 900 staff in its transition from a business park location, which they have occupied for 20 years, into Birmingham city centre.
Following a market wide search and analysis of options, we identified MEPC’s 1.75million Paradise scheme as the preferred option. This scheme comprises a brownfield redevelopment where two phases have already completed, to provide 350,000 sq ft of class leading and highly sustainable office accommodation. We worked closely with Arup in selecting the next phase of the scheme in a building called One Centenary Way. Our remit here was not only to negotiate market leading terms but also to adapt the developers specification to ensure that Arup’s ESG requirements were incorporated within the buildings specification.
As a result we have acquired 68,000 sq ft within this 280,000 sq ft building which, when complete in Q1 2023, will provide the city’s highest performing and most sustainable office environment yet,
to include:
- BREEAM Excellent/EPC B
- SMART enabled/Wiredscore Platinum
- 4 pipe fan coil air conditioning using air source heat pumps
- 100% powered by sustainably sourced electricity
