Eco Logical

Published on 5 Jun 2006

So how do you meet the environmental demands of an organisation that must be seen as a paragon of virtue? And how do you do it without compromising on aesthetics or breaking budget. Freddie Steele talks to Claremont Group Interiors about their work for the Environment Agency’s offices in London

For many organisations, buildings represent far more than just a place to work. They must make a clear statement about the organisation’s goals. That was certainly the case with the Environment Agency, which needed its Millbank Tower HQ to reflect its own role and provide a blueprint for the ethical and ecological concerns of contemporary facilities managers. It also presented a challenge for the design team and its chosen suppliers.

‘Obviously when you have a client like the Environment Agency,’ explains Louise Barraclough of Claremont Group Interiors, ‘you have to be especially sensitive to the need to develop a solution that makes it a blueprint for other workplaces. When you’re seen as an opinion former in your field, you have to be whiter than white.’

Fortunately, as Louise points out, the past twenty years have seen architects, engineers and facilities managers make enormous strides in the way they specify, design and manage environmentally friendly buildings. In turn, this has driven a response from designers and suppliers in the products and services they offer.

The development of sophisticated building systems and materials is also driven by growing awareness of environmental issues to a Governmental level and promoted by organisations such as the Building Research Establishment and the BIFM. Coupled with emerging legislation on many aspects of environmental policy, these forces have transformed the way offices are specified. There are now many examples of workplaces which achieve exceptionally high environmental performance characteristics and a growing army of architects and facilities professionals with the know-how and desire to implement them.

‘The sector can now boast numerous examples of best practice in building design and management,’ says Louise Barraclough. ‘In its wake, although perhaps not quickly enough, we have seen the launch of many new products and services that meet these new needs. There has been progress on all sides, especially in the use of materials. Nowadays there are clear guidelines for buyers of office furniture and commercial flooring in regard to environmental concerns, for example. Many manufacturers have already responded to the concerns of their clients with ranges that address such ethical concerns as sustainability and reusability.’

Amongst the mainstream suppliers working with Claremont on the Environment Agency project were Milliken Carpet, Muraspec, Tektura,. There was also a need to apply bespoke solutions to some aspects of the design, notably the reception desk which is made from recycled plastic cups and CDs.

This is all very commendable, yet at the same time there is a lingering suspicion that the refurbishment of products or the use of recycled materials means compromising on one of the most important aspects of interior design: how it looks. This is particularly important when survey after survey highlights the importance of an attractive workplace in the motivation and retention of staff not to mention the need to convey corporate identity.

These were some of the paradoxes that confronted The Environment Agency when it came to refurbish two floors of its headquarters building in Millbank Tower, London. The internal refurbishment of two floors of the building had to provide a contemporary work setting but also adhere to very strict environmental principles at every level from the specification of carpets to furniture to partitions and ceiling tiles. Wherever possible, natural products were chosen. All products were either recycled or from sustainable resources.

‘It was incredibly important that we didn’t compromise on the overall attractiveness of the building,’ explain Louise Barraclough. ‘There is a still this complete misperception that you have to lower your sights on aesthetics when you have a strong focus on ethical concerns. That may have been true once, but it is far from true now. It’s also no longer the case that you have to pay through the nose to live up to your own ethical standards. The £250k project had to work to a comparable budget to what would have been expected with more conventional products. The products also had to be attractive, cost-effective and offer the same levels of durability as mainstream manufactured products.’

According to Louise, the secret lies in attention to detail to allow designers to meet such apparently conflicting objectives. This attention to detail included sourcing products manufactured using wind power. Existing furniture, carpets and partitions were refurbished unless beyond repair. Ceiling tiles were cleaned wherever possible. But perhaps where the installation really stands out is in its use of materials. The reception area desk is recycled from coffee cups and broken down compact discs yet uncannily mimics the aesthetic of slate and glass. The same floor features a café with natural marmoleum flooring. The walls are finished in paper and bamboo.

The specified carpet is Milliken Earth Squared product which is 100 per cent second generation carpet.The Earth Square product minimises landfill by regenerating and re-using old Milliken carpet. The result is an environment that perfectly encapsulates what environmentally friendly workplace design is all about. ‘Most importantly,’ says Louise Barraclough, ‘it demonstrates that the application of ethical principles need not be expensive and certainly does not mean compromising on looks and quality. Sometimes you can have your cake and eat it.’