GLASGOW’S largest single office building is to be powered by a wind farm located just 15 miles away.
The £80 million 177 Bothwell Street office development in the city centre is scheduled for completion in October. HFD Group has revealed it will be entirely powered by the Blantyre Muir Wind Farm, which was established by HFD Group and Engie ten years ago.
HFD will receive the energy through a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA), which it said is thought to be the only deal of its kind between a property company and energy provider in Scotland. Its origin will be guaranteed through the renewable energy guarantee of origin (REGO) scheme.
The move follows last year’s announcement that 177 Bothwell Street would be fully electric, with zero carbon emissions – with HFD revealing that the building set to achieve an energy performance certificate (EPC) score nearly 50% above the standard for an A rating.
It will also feature a range of facilities for climate-friendly commuting, with ‘extensive’ provisions for cyclists and capacity for all 48 of its car parking spaces to connect electric vehicle charging points.
A number of occupiers have already secured space at 177 Bothwell Street, with Virgin Money pre-letting 65,000 square feet, BNP Paribas letting the first floor, and CBRE taking a further 18,000 square feet. An independent economic impact assessment concluded that the development will generate £2.8 billion of gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy over 25 years.
Stephen Lewis, MD of HFD Property Group, said, “Sustainability is not new for us, but we were determined to take it even further at 177 Bothwell Street. The infrastructure at Blantyre Muir Wind Farm was only made possible through our PPA with Engie and has formed a cornerstone of our commitment to green energy across our property portfolio over the past decade.
“Generating 100% renewable energy from an identifiable source in close proximity to the building was important for us so that our occupiers can say they are delivering on their sustainability pledges with full transparency. It is another important part of how we plan to deliver a de-carbonised building, through the reduction of consumption, the use of renewables, and recycling wherever possible.
“The arrival of the COP26 summit in a few months’ time will focus attention on the efforts being made in Scotland, and the wider UK, in the fight against climate change. The built environment represents a significant amount of annual carbon emissions, and it is incumbent on us all – from construction to property management – to try to minimise the sector’s environmental impact.”
