Pioneering sustainable retrofitting for net zero strategy

This comprehensive refurbishment project commissioned by British Land has the aim of helping establish Paddington Campus as a diverse and vibrant campus, with a building that is future proofed across its lifespan. It is also the first major refurbishment scheme designed to meet British Land’s ambitious 2030 vision.

In 2020, Ramboll became a key partner in this endeavour, entrusted not only with designing the building services but also with setting a pioneering standard for sustainable retrofitting. The primary goal was to seamlessly integrate with British Land’s Sustainability Brief, emphasising net zero carbon, environmental leadership, and lasting social value through a place-based approach. The completion of this ground-breaking project, which has a total floor area of 13,000 sqm, is anticipated in Q1 2024.

Challenged by an EPC D rating and excessive energy consumption, largely fuelled by gas boilers, 3 Sheldon Square demanded insightful sustainable interventions. The objective was to establish a pioneering standard for future-ready net-zero, biodiverse, and resilient transformations, setting a precedent for other offices.

By retaining the original structure and envelope, including steel frame, concrete floor slabs and shaft walls, the scheme seeks to extend the useful life of the building, which is just two decades old.

Ramboll played a pivotal role in delivering the building services design, including sustainability, acoustics, Vertical Transport, Façade Access and SMART/ICT design. The consultancy served as a guiding force, ensuring that every decision made during the development process adhered to the project’s extensive sustainability goals. Collaboration with Morris + Company, HTS, and building contractor 8Build was instrumental in bringing this vision to life.

1. Decarbonisation: The building now boasts high-efficiency simultaneous heating and cooling heat pumps. Projections indicate over a 60% improvement in energy use compared to its pre-development state, aligning with UKGBC’s goals for the office sector. This improvement also puts the building on course for achieving a NABERS UK Design for Performance target 4.5* rating with some margin, and will exceed future MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) legislation requirements. Furthermore, the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating is upgraded from a D to a target A.

2. Creative Repurposing and Circular Practices: Embracing retrofitting avoids and minimises upfront embodied carbon emissions. Collaborative efforts with local community groups through the Globechain initiative led to the re-use of materials, contributing to a more sustainable and community-oriented approach. The circular aspirations for re-use extended across various aspects, involving the retention of an estimated 30-35% (by cost) of the Mechanical and Electrical package. Employing innovative re-use of the various original basebuild MEP elements, not only resulted in cost savings but also significantly reduced the environmental footprint of the construction process.

3. Local Ecology and Biodiversity: The project’s inclusion of balconies with cascading plants connects the office with nature and adds attractive external amenity space for tenants. The chosen plant species supports better climate resilience by helping regulate temperatures during the summer and winter and boosts biodiversity with a 100% net gain compared to pre-development.

4. Certifications: Beyond environmental certifications, Ramboll secured a BREEAM Outstanding rating, WELL Building Standard precertification, and a Wired Score Gold, reflecting a comprehensive commitment to sustainability and occupant well-being.