Workspace Group PLC (LON:WKP), London’s leading owner and operator of flexible and sustainable work space, has announced the opening of Leroy House, its first fully net zero building[1]. Originally built for a watchmaker in the 1930’s, it has now been brought back to life through adaptive re-use. Based in Islington, the newly refurbished building retains 90% of its original structure and comprises 57,000 sq. ft. of striking new sustainable work space.
· 57,000 sq. ft. of new high quality, sustainable work space created through adaptive reuse of an historic watchmaker’s factory
· The project’s embodied carbon is 40% less than industry best practice
· Strong commitment to the local community with local suppliers used and large public amenity space
· Workspace has now retrofitted c.1.2m sq. ft. of space over the last decade
· Designed with customers in mind – 11 leases signed in first six weeks of marketing
Sonal Jain, Workspace Group’s Head of Sustainability, said:
“We take great pride in our refurbishment-led ethos at Workspace. Leroy House is evidence that retrofitting, not rebuilding, delivers the best outcomes for our customers, the community and the environment. By breathing new life into existing structures, as we have done for over 35 years, we preserve London’s architectural heritage, blending character with modern space that our customers want.
90% of our customers view sustainability as essential to their business and over 70% have set their own emissions reduction targets. This demonstrates that our approach is not only responsible but also makes good business sense.”
Industry-leading environmental credentials
In addition to retaining the majority of the existing structure, the project used concrete with over two-thirds recycled content. Through careful material and design choices, its overall embodied carbon is 40% less than industry best practice of 500kg CO₂e/m2. At the same time, consideration was given to the original features of the building, including the historic façade and brickwork, which were sensitively restored to preserve its character.
Workspace has ensured that Leroy House will be a net zero building in operation as well, to further benefit its customers. The all-electric building is powered entirely by renewable energy thanks to the CPPA2 Workspace signed last year and the smart building energy management system allows customers to actively manage their energy consumption. Additionally, a well-planned waste management system promotes recycling and makes it easy for customers to eliminate single-use items. Occupants can also enjoy views of a 75 sq. metre green roof that supports biodiversity, along with a blue roof that captures rainwater to reduce flood risk.
Customer-led design
Leroy House is flooded with natural light, with large openable windows that harness natural ventilation, reduce energy consumption and enhance temperature control for customer comfort. Open spaces are thoughtfully designed as collaboration hubs, furnished with sustainable, upcycled pieces to reflect Workspace’s commitment to environmental responsibility.
Leroy House is the latest in a long line of refurbishment projects for Workspace. It has retrofitted over 1.2 m sq. ft. of space over the past decade, creating work spaces that meet the needs of London’s brightest businesses and making significant progress on its net zero journey. The space has already captured the imagination of London’s SMEs, with 11 leases signed in only six weeks of marketing.
Maximising social impact
With space for over 100 small businesses, Leroy House has been designed to be a vibrant community hub. It features a large public amenity space, including a café, which is open to both customers and members of the local community.
Workspace Group ensured that over 25% of the project spend was directed to local suppliers. A collaboration with The eXceL Project charity delivered a community upskilling programme which included youth work provisions, mentoring and job readiness training.
[1] Designed to be net zero carbon in construction and operation, in line with the UK Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework
2 Corporate Power Purchase Agreement signed with Statkraft in December 2023
