MIDDLECAP’S SOUTHWORKS OFFICE SCHEME BECOMES UK FIRST TO RECEIVE PLATINUM SMART BUILDING CERTIFICATION
Smart Building Certification is the first to measure the ‘smartness’ of buildings
Integrated building technology will enhance users’ wellbeing
MiddleCap, the real estate-focused investment group, announced today that its Southworks development in London has been awarded a Platinum Smart Building Certification. The 70,000 sq ft office scheme, which completes later this year, is the first in the UK to achieve the certification.
The Smart Building Certification, which has been developed to promote wellbeing, sustainability, performance, innovation, and health and safety in the built environment, recognises buildings that have smart tech infrastructure in place to evaluate a building’s behaviour and performance. The first building awarded Platinum Smart Building Certification was EDGE Olympic Amsterdam.
The Smart Building Certification is the first programme to objectively evaluate the ‘smartness’ of buildings by assessing six core areas: building usage; user behaviour and collaboration; building performance; building environment; integrative design and connectivity, and health, safety and security.
Southworks is the first building to be evaluated in the UK using the Smart Building Certification framework, and has achieved Platinum certification for Core & Shell. Its technology-first approach and number of integrated design and management features will create a responsive and productive environment that enhances users’ wellbeing. Some of these include:
● A single ‘digital backbone’ – created through applied bGrid technology – links a series of sensors to the Internet of Things, which connect, measure and deliver feedback to building users. The sensors will be plugged into the HVAC system and lighting controls, and will also measure other environmental variables such as density, occupancy and noise levels. The data generated by this network is fed into the building management system, optimising the environment and ensuring it becomes completely demand-driven.
● A dedicated app (OfficeApp) through which occupiers will be able to directly control heating and lighting to their own preferences and book meeting rooms, creating the optimum working environment.
● Facilitation of more effective communication between building managers and occupiers, with messages and notifications being able to be shared in both directions through the OfficeApp.
● Technology optimised for risk management in the support of longer-term social distancing by monitoring the flow of people throughout the building together with real time information about indoor and outdoor air quality.
The certification highlights MiddleCap’s commitment to delivering state of the art buildings as the business looks to expand its UK commercial office portfolio.
Tomáš Jurdák, Head of Real Estate at MiddleCap, said:
“It is a huge achievement for Southworks to achieve a Platinum Smart Building Certification. From the outset, we wanted our first UK project to present the London office market with a best in class building that really delivers what occupiers need from their workspace today, and in the future.
“By harnessing the tremendous technological advances that have been developed in recent years and bringing them together in one building, Southworks raises the bar for offices across London and creates a blueprint for post-Covid workspace.”
Nicholas White, Head of Operations and Strategy at Smart Building Certification, said:
“We are proud to award Southworks with a Platinum Smart Building Certification. A Core & Shell building with this extensive of an IT infrastructure is quite rare. We rarely see a Core & Shell building go this far to improve health, performance, sustainability, indoor environment, and a user’s ability to interact with the space. Hopefully Southworks is a look into the future of what we can expect from new builds and that progress is worth celebrating.”
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