A Shared Commitment to Sustainability

The exceptional sustainability standards achieved at 11 & 12 Wellington Place in Leeds reflect the vision, dedication and collaboration of everyone involved, including investors, consultants, contractors, occupiers and property managers. With all parties committed to decarbonisation, there has been a sustained focus on net zero carbon and energy efficiency from initial design through to operational use, as well as social impact and wellbeing. MEPC also prioritised rigorous third-party certification to ensure credibility.

Since completion, the buildings have attracted leading organisations, including Arup, EY, ghd, Hill Dickinson, JLL and Lloyds Banking Group, underscoring strong market demand for high-performing, sustainable workspaces. The connected buildings provide 23,680m2 of office, leisure and retail space.

How do you create some of the UK’s most sustainable office buildings?

From the outset, the project team focused on a new way to measure the buildings’ sustainability performance using benchmarking tool NABERS UK. While EPCs improve understanding of a building’s theoretical energy performance and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, NABERS UK assesses a building’s actual energy consumption, against benchmarks developed using data from UK offices. Together, EPCs and NABERS give a fuller picture of energy performance. The independent design review central to the NABERS process also challenged design to improve energy performance, identifying risks and opportunities.

• Achieving operational net zero: A major shift in the energy strategy for 11 & 12 Wellington Place in 2020, due to the pandemic, led to the introduction of reversible air source heat pumps (ASHPs) to replace the proposed gas-fired boilers and air-cooled chillers, completely eliminating fossil fuel use and making the building all-electric. Fabric upgrades, glazing with improved U and G values, higher levels of air tightness, demand control ventilation and upgrades to lighting efficiency and controls also reduced energy demand. In addition, roof-mounted solar photovoltaics were increased from 500m² to 700m², allowing the buildings to run entirely on renewable energy through REGO-backed renewable tariffs complemented by on-site renewables. Together, these measures enabled the buildings to meet the UKGBC net zero carbon operational energy standard.
• Tackling whole life emissions: The project team reduced forecast embodied carbon by 38% across the project to 533kg CO2e/m2 at practical completion, from 866kg CO2e/m2 in the original design. Throughout construction, Wates used One Click LCA to track and report performance, and Cundall provided independent verification at completion. Low-carbon solutions include: a steel frame design offering large spans that reduce the number of concrete piles needed; lighter cellular beams that require shallower foundations; careful product specification, such as local supply chain and electric arc furnace steel; and offsite manufacturing.
• Enhancing wellbeing: The buildings are designed to improve occupiers’ wellbeing through high levels of natural daylight, views out to the River Aire and biophilic design, including living green walls lining the reception area, external roof terraces, inset balconies and landscaped surroundings. Facilities to promote active lifestyles and sustainable travel include 140 secure cycle spaces, 21 showers, changing facilities with drying rooms and lockers, and a cycle maintenance hub, along with free bike hire, bike buddy schemes and discounted public transport offers. A real-time energy management and metering system connects to a smart building platform, accessible via a mobile app. This supports the property team and occupiers in optimising spaces not only for efficiency but also for comfort and wellbeing.
• Adding economic and social value to central Leeds: From 2019 to 2022, over £44.5m of economic and social value was generated across Wellington Place, with 1,536 local construction jobs created and 269 apprenticeship weeks. More than 1,000 young people across Leeds have also benefited from Wellington Place’s long-term partnership with social enterprise Ahead Partnership, which aims to empower and equip young people with the skills, confidence and insight needed to thrive in the world of work.

Adding commercial, environmental and social value

Sustainability initiatives at 11 & 12 Wellington Place are delivering wide-ranging benefits:

• Commercial success: All Cat A office space fully let within a year of completion, with sustainability certifications NABERS UK 5-star, BREEAM Outstanding, EPC A and Fitwel 2-star providing rigour for claims, particularly when occupiers engage specialist teams to independently evaluate the available options.
• Climate action and decarbonisation: 7,885 tonnes of CO2 saved in construction (A1-A5) and 407 tonnes of CO2 saved annually through on-site PV, generating enough electricity to meet the equivalent annual demand of more than 42 homes.
• Operational savings: Reducing operational costs for occupiers, with 41% greater energy efficiency than the average building.
• Social impact: Local procurement, employment and education partnerships support business growth and societal benefit.

Future-proofing the portfolio

NABERS UK is part of MEPC’s efforts to deliver future-proofed, sustainable developments, constantly raising performance to achieve the latest standards. At 11 & 12 Wellington Place, MEPC, Arup and the property team are already exploring opportunities to reach 5.5 stars, with NABERS supporting continuous improvement through annual reviews. MEPC has also registered additional projects with NABERS UK across Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

“We’re incredibly proud to be the first new buildings in the UK to achieve a NABERS UK Energy Rating of Five Stars. We’re committed to continuing this momentum with future developments that set new standards for sustainability and performance.”

Miles Jones, Development Director at MEPC

*Arup analysis based on original design intent (2021).