• Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
    • Wind
    • Marine
    • Solar
    • Biomass
    • Nuclear
    • CCS
    • Infrastructure
  • Policy
    • Politics
    • Legislation
    • Taxation
  • Management
    • Marketing
    • Risk
    • Skills
    • Incentives
    • Carbon Accounting
  • Technology
    • Waste
    • Recycling
    • R&D
    • Efficiency
    • IT
  • Investment
    • Carbon Trading
    • Offsets
    • Venture Capital
  • Net Zero Now
  • Events & Awards
  • SDG Hub
  • Industry Voice
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  •  
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
    • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

      Email: [email protected]

      • Sign in
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Free Trial
  • Subscribe
  • Events & Awards
    • Upcoming events
      event logo
      NZF Pathway - Finance

      This exclusive half day online event will investigate how all businesses can support and accelerate the transition to low and net zero carbon buildings, while maximising the financial and productivity opportunities that will result.

      • Date: 16 Mar 2021
      • Online Event
      event logo
      NZF Pathway - Nature 2021

      Net Zero Nature brings together global experts, business leaders, NGO’s and innovators to explore why protecting and restoring nature is fundamental to global economic prosperity, investigate the transformative changes businesses must make now to avoid extinction, and consider best practices and latest developments. Register now to secure your place for a unique day of learning, leadership and practical insight.

      • Date: 27 May 2021
      • Online Event
      event logo
      Net Zero Festival 2021

      Net Zero Festival is the world's first business festival dedicated to exploring, advancing, and celebrating the global transition to a net zero emission economy. Join us at BusinessGreen's Net Zero Festival – for leaders who won't wait until 2050 to build a better business, and a better world.

      • Date: 29 Sep 2021
      • Worldwide
      View all events
  • SDG Hub
Business Green
Business Green
  • Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Management
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Net Zero Now
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
  • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

    Email: [email protected]

    • Sign in
  • Hot topics
  • Budget 2021
  • Carney row
  • Nature-based solutions
  • Net Zero Finance
 

Sponsor content:

This content has been brought to you in association with our sponsors

  • Workplace

250 Bishopsgate: Bringing nature into a London building

250 Bishopsgate in Central London | Credit: NatWest Group
250 Bishopsgate in Central London | Credit: NatWest Group
  • NatWest
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

NatWest Group explains how sustainability has been embedded into its flagship building in London

Once inside the modern glass and steel exterior of the NatWest Group's London flagship building, located in 250 Bishopsgate, it reveals itself as a giant greenhouse. It's a design success story of how to bring the outside in.

When we talk of 250 Bishopsgate being a 'green' building, we aren't talking about energy, although it has made improvements to reduce its energy usage through capital investment programmes. It's a building filled with greenery that spills out onto its inner city garden terraces. Plants and nature are linked to wellbeing, relaxation and improved concentration levels, all of which are essential to maintain and nurture at work. 

The building's futuristic, edgy architecture gives a hint that inside it houses a team of forward-thinking individuals, always looking to create a better future. They work together in a hive of activity to suggest, test, trial and implement the latest innovations. They are also known as the 250 Bishopsgate Sustainability Champions, a mixture of facilities management, front of house and resident colleagues.       

The latest innovation to be implemented is a plant to plate EvoGro system. Senior facilities manager David McManus explains: "With this system, we can grow from seed to produce within seven days and use the fresh produce on-site with zero pesticides and zero carbon-emissions by not having the produce delivered into the building. Our chef is very excited to develop seasonal salads and vary the produce weekly."

This is not the only food grown in the building. On its level three terrace there's an abundance of produce; grapes, apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and even potatoes. The building also has its own herb garden. This helps promote a message of health and wellbeing to the colleagues that occupy the building.

Food scraps from meal prep in the buildings Garden Cafe are taken to a wormery to feed the worms that in turn produce liquid fertiliser as an output. The worms were brought onsite along with a composter to help reduce food waste, another area that the sustainable champions are passionate about. The bonus of having the worms onsite is that the fertiliser they produce is used to fertilise the terrace gardens. This is circular economy in practice.

The terrace gardens are a peaceful oasis of decorative plants mixed with fruit trees that frame a spectacular view of London. They are relaxing spaces for staff to unwind, have a beverage or a healthy meal from its Garden Café.  Staff can also bring in their own packed lunches to enjoy on the terraces. Once done with lunch, staff dispose of their waste in the new waste stations that were implemented last year to make waste segregation easier for staff, and to increase recycling. 250 Bishopsgate was the first of the NatWest large offices to trial reverse vending machines. This ensures that plastic bottles disposed in the building are responsibly recycled and kept out of nature.

Nature as a theme and the greenery of the outdoors is brought inside with an array of pot plants of varying sizes, from huge trees as focal points to tiny plants that sit comfortably on a desk or a shelf. There's a variety of hanging plant pots and greenery that peaks out in inconspicuous places all around the building. Then there's the impressive living wall that is more a work of art. 

To keep up the feeling that you're in the middle of the jungle, there's an old Jeep that has been upcycled into a meeting room. It's no boring meeting for those who manage to book out the Jeep. 

In October last year, 250 Bishopsgate was a 'highly commended' Green Building Project of the Year at BusinessGreen's annual Leaders Awards ceremony.  So how easy is it to create and manage a building that is so focused on sustainability and wellbeing? McManus answers: "It's been relatively straight-forward for us, with sustainability very much a must have, not a could have."

 

This article was sponsored by NatWest

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Workplace
  • NatWest Group
  • Industry Voice
blog comments powered by Disqus
Back to Top
  • Contact Us
  • Marketing solutions
  • About Incisive Media
  • Terms and conditions
  • Policies
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Incisive Footer Logo

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017
Loading