Press Releases

What Are You Doing London?

Tuesday 10th July 2007

Office transformation specialist Morgan Lovell has issued a challenge to London - to think green about the workplace.

A giant advertising mural has been installed across the frontage of the company’s Soho headquarters – seen by thousands of people each day - to highlight the benefits of sustainable offices.

The move comes as Morgan Lovell plans to unveil its model workplace of the future at the site - designed to address the massive carbon footprint from offices currently pounding the UK.

Energy produced from non-renewable sources and consumed in building services accounts for approximately 50 per cent of UK CO2 emissions, contributing to climate change, consuming resources and adding to pollution.*
A range of features are being introduced at the Noel Street office, including smart lighting, energy efficient air cooling systems and carefully sourced materials, to deliver a green office interior which does not cost the earth.

The new office uses high-technology infrared movement sensors to deploy lighting in zones only where people are working - spelling an end to fully illuminated buildings housing just a few workers - as well as dimming units that automatically adjust to the natural lighting conditions for individual staff.

Air conditioning units also store excess heat generated from the building and use it to warm up the structure as necessary at night, while car parking spaces are being given up in place of bike racks. The company expects to slash its energy bills by half as a result of the changes.

Careful attention has been paid to flooring, ceilings, lighting, wall paints, joinery, fabrics and blinds and furniture – based on reused, recycled and recyclable products sourced as locally as possible.

Morgan Lovell brought together the best of its design expertise and knowledge for the construction of the ‘green’ office - a fit out of the existing workspace - to act as a showcase of what can be achieved to lessen the impact on the environment.

David Henderson, managing director of Morgan Lovell, said: “We needed to introduce the best in current thinking for sustainable offices, as Noel Street will be used by the company to showcase the concept to visitors from across the UK.

“We also needed to work to a budget and develop an approach that is achievable, workable and cost-effective to deliver a realistic solution for UK businesses.”

As well as the environmental incentive, Morgan Lovell believes a ‘green’ office can also be cultural too – creating a motivational effect on the workforce.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

*Further information relating to how energy produced from non-renewable sources and consumed in building services accounts for approximately 50 per cent of UK CO2 emissions is available from the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website (formerly the DTI).

http://www.dti.gov.uk/sectors/construction/sustainability/page13691.html

The report states that sustainability is of increasing importance to the efficient, effective and responsible operation of business. This is especially true for construction.
Construction has a huge contribution to make to everyone's quality of life and in enabling the positive impacts of its work to be achieved in a more sustainable manner. Construction outputs can alter the nature, function and appearance of the towns and countryside in which we live and work.
Pollution has major sources in the construction process: waste materials; noise, vehicle emissions, contaminant release into atmosphere, ground & water. Energy produced from non-renewable sources & consumed in building services accounts for approx 50% of UK CO2 emissions, contributing to climate change, consuming non-renewable resources and adding to pollution.

Located in London, Birmingham and the Thames Valley, Morgan Lovell is the UK’s leading office interior design, fit out and refurbishment specialist. With its own teams of designers, surveyors and project managers, the company can design and deliver entire projects, with the benefit of just one point of contact.  www.morganlovell.com

It is a member of Morgan Sindall plc, the construction and urban regeneration group which operates through four specialist divisions: fit out, construction, infrastructure services and affordable housing.

Morgan Lovell is a licensed BREEAM Offices Assessment Organisation. This means it is now licensed to measure the sustainability score of an office in order to identify ways companies can reduce high energy usage and waste, whilst increasing comfort and satisfaction for users of the building.