Swiss Re Unveils New Greener Headquarters
Swiss Re has revealed the interior of its new London headquarters -- known to Londoners as the Gherkin building -- to the media. Read More
Swiss Re has revealed the interior of its new London headquarters — known to Londoners as the Gherkin building — to the media.
Described by its architect, Lord Foster as “a radical building — environmentally, spatially and socially,” it incorporates innovative environmental technology to minimize energy use and carbon emissions.
John Fitzpatrick, head of Swiss Re’s Life and Health Business Group, said: “30 St Mary Axe has truly become the building we envisioned when we set out to create a headquarters for all our businesses and employees located in London.”
Matthew Kitson, of consulting engineers group Hilson Moran Partnership, who were in charge of environmental designs and modeling on the project, said that Swiss Re drove the project.
“They really wanted the perfect environment for their people to work in and to take a lead in environmental design in this country,” he said. “Before this we weren’t really used to seeing these things taken into account in our briefs, but now we are starting to see it more often. They’re very much ahead of their time.”
It is predicted the building will consume half as much energy as a traditionally serviced office building of similar size and generate half the level of carbon emissions.
The building’s numerous environmental considerations include:
- Lightwells with opening windows to act as ‘lungs’ allowing the building to use natural ventilation for up to 40% of the year, as well as acting as natural smoke extractors. They also maximize daylight penetration, reducing the need for artificial lighting.
- Its aerodynamic shape causes wind pressure differentials to assist natural ventilation through the lightwells, reducing the need for conventional air conditioning, thereby reducing energy consumption.
- A ventilated double skin façade that reduces heating and cooling requirements. Its performance can be tuned to maximize benefits from inside or out, and blinds within the cavity can intercept solar gain before it enters the office. It can then be reclaimed or rejected depending on need.
- De-centralized on-floor plant systems with the flexibility to supply and control mechanical ventilation on a floor-by-floor basis. By closely matching supply and demand, energy consumption is reduced again.
- Its primary fuel is gas, one of the cleanest fuels available.
In addition the building is served by comprehensive public transport facilities and there are no private car parking spaces available.
Swiss Re is moving all of its London based employees in to the site and will occupy about half of the 180-meter building.
Work is still being done on the entrance and the very top part of the building but should be completed by mid-May.
Sara Fox, new building director for Swiss Re, said: “It is designed to reflect Swiss Re’s commitment to sustainability and environmental issues.”
