Barwood Capital (“Barwood”) has celebrated the topping out of Explore, its new Grade-A office building in Richmond. The scheme will provide best-in-class office space with leading ESG credentials to the South East market. Formerly known as Eton House, the building was acquired by Barwood’s Regional Property Growth Fund IV in December 2021 with the aim of repositioning it to prime sustainable office space. The project has involved a full back-to-frame refurbishment, including an additional floor of accommodation and a roof terrace as well as extensive common areas, garden and amenity space. Delivering much-needed high quality office accommodation, Explore offers 45,000 sq ft of space and is targeting BREEAM Excellent, Net Zero in operation and an EPC A rating. Measures to support energy efficiency and biodiversity include enhancing greening and planting opportunities in both the common areas and private spaces plus electric vehicle charging points. The redesign also focuses on measures to support employee health and wellbeing, with amenities including 42 cycle parking spaces, communal lounge, a gym plus changing rooms and showers. The scheme has secured WiredScore Gold and is targeting Fitwell accreditation. The refurbishment has been carried out by RED Construction Group, with Moorevale the development manager for the scheme. A ceremony was held on 10th January, where members of the team gathered to celebrate the building’s topping out. Adam Smith, Asset Management Director at Barwood Capital, said: “Demand for high quality, sustainable and amenity focused office space remains strong in Richmond, where there’s a shortage of Grade-A accommodation. With sustainability and wellbeing at the forefront of the design, Explore delivers a best-in-class option that meets the priorities of businesses today.” Mark Iori, Managing Director at RED Construction London, commented: “We are incredibly proud of the role we have played in completely reimagining this scheme from inside-out, creating a high-calibre, future-proofed office product in Richmond. The elements of this milestone scheme called on many of RED Construction Group’s technical specialities and capabilities, and we have enjoyed working alongside such a skilled team for Barwood Capital’s multi-million-pound development. Explore now serves as another example of RED’s experience remodelling existing sites as prime sustainable office space, evolving the workplace with employee mental health and wellbeing at its core.” Charlie Bishop, Director at Moorevale, added: “As well as its excellent residential provision and good local schools, Richmond enjoys a thriving food and drink scene and has much to offer for businesses and their employees. Quick access to the centre of London via train, plus close reach to the M4, M3 and beyond, further adds to the town’s appeal and we’re expecting strong demand for space at Explore Richmond.” Andrew Willcock and Oliva Jones of Savills are acting as joint agents alongside Chris Bulmer and Clare Lane of Bray Fox Smith. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Henry Boot Construction, part of the Henry Boot Group, has officially completed work on Elshaw House, the flagship office development within Heart of the City. The exceptionally-designed building, with its striking black metal façade, has already become a standout aspect of Sheffield’s evolving skyline. Located between Wellington Street and Carver Street in Sheffield, it is the city’s first zero carbon-ready office building, incorporating 70,000 sq ft of flexible workspace across seven floors. With Henry Boot Construction now finished on-site, Elshaw House is ready for occupiers to move in and tailor their own bespoke fit-outs. A key part of the transformational Heart of the City masterplan – led by Sheffield City Council and their Strategic Development Partner, Queensberry, the innovative design reduces overall operational energy use. It has achieved an “excellent” five-star NABERS UK rating, placing it in the top 1% of office buildings in the country for energy efficiency. Elshaw House also boasts an Excellent BREEAM sustainability rating and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A. The latest energy-efficient technologies have been adopted, including heat pumps, mixed-mode ventilation and cooled slabs to regulate the building’s temperature, whilst green energy supplies will further boost its sustainable credentials. Tony Shaw, Managing Director for Henry Boot Construction, said: “It’s a great moment to see Elshaw House reach completion. This is the pinnacle of commercial developments, utilising the very latest in sustainable technology. “We’re proud to have delivered this project despite facing a number of well-documented industry-wide challenges. Working in partnership with Sheffield Council has demonstrated a blueprint for collaboration and there’s no better place to do this than in our home city. “Elshaw House complements the objectives of the masterplan to support a city with a refreshed work, live and play dynamic. Spilling out onto Pound’s Park, adjacent to the new food hall and nearby residential schemes like our own Kangaroo Works, the new workspace will play a key role in attracting new businesses and talent in Sheffield.” Councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council, added: “It’s fantastic to see the completion of Elshaw House. We’re incredibly eager for Sheffield to be a standard bearer for sustainable practice in the region. This project, with its five-star NABERS accreditation, is a testament to the Council’s bold ambition to drive the city forward and raise the bar for other developments to follow. “Heart of the City is moving into an incredibly exiting stage of the project, with Burgess House, Isaacs Building, Elshaw House and Kangaroo Works all finished and ready for occupiers to move in. This includes the recently announced retailers Yards Store and Fjällräven. “This is a transformational year for the city centre with Leah’s Yard, Cambridge Street Collective food hall and Radisson Blu also set to open their doors in the coming months. It all shows how Sheffield is undeniably a city on the up.” Elshaw House has been attracting strong market interest, with tenants expected to be formerly announced in the coming months. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Parthena Reys acquires Manchester’s largest office building CBRE’s Investment Properties team in Manchester has successfully advised Parthena Reys on the strategic acquisition deal of the 365,542 sq ft One Hardman Boulevard, Manchester’s largest office building, in the heart of Spinningfields.  Investment company Parthena Reys has acquired the landmark building from NatWest Group (NWG), for an undisclosed figure following NWG’s recent consolidation into their newly refurbished building at 1 Spinningfields Square, and plans to reposition the scheme, releasing newly refurbished, best in class workspace back into the supply-starved Manchester market by end 2024. The modern office building provides the city’s largest Grade A floor plate of c40,000sq ft, which is inherently flexible both vertically and horizontally, and capable of accommodating occupiers seeking 10,000 sq ft upwards. Accommodation is spread over nine floors with ground floor retail and is situated in the internationally renowned Spinningfields, one of the most successful urban developments in the UK, which has become a destination of choice for the region’s financial, professional and business services industry sectors.  The vision for One Hardman Boulevard is to reincarnate the building into a world-class, flagship Grade A office development with market-leading ESG credentials, capitalising on occupier trends of higher take up in best-in-class assets and rental premiums for leading green buildings.  Parthena Reys will announce further details on the planned refurbishment work in early 2024. Will Kennon, Executive Director at CBRE’s Investment Properties team who led the transaction commented; “This acquisition represents a strategic, counter cyclical investment by our client, acquiring a Grade A building in the heart of Spinningfields, with a business plan to release newly refurbished workspace back into a supply starved market in 2025.  With new build development unviable at rents of below £50psf, we are expecting existing best in class assets to experience strong growth over the next 12-24 months and look forward to working with our client on the repositioning and leasing strategy.” Addleshaw Goddard advised on the legals for Parthena Reys, with Cushman & Wakefield and DLA Piper advising NWG. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

1000 Aztec West is a game changer for out-of-office headquarters. The South West’s first Net Zero Carbon in operation out-of-town development has reached practical completion. Commissioned by CEG and delivered by Beard Construction, 1000 Aztec West in South Gloucestershire near Bristol ambitiously reused the existing frame and shell to deliver a best-in-class development. The addition of a new floor and striking three-storey atrium to the centre of the stunning new, all-glass structure has expanded the building from 38,000 to 80,000 sq ft, capable of housing an 850-strong workforce. The development has been delivered by local company, Beard Construction. Matt Cooper, director for Beard in Bristol said:“We are immensely proud to have played a key role in the delivery of this striking office development. Not only does it bring a state-of-the-art facility away from the city centre and out of town, but it sets the benchmark for sustainable, low carbon construction. This aligns closely with our core values at Beard and provided a fantastic opportunity to utilise our skills and experience in this area. “Sustainable construction presents both challenges and opportunities. Repurposing the existing steel framework was certainly a challenge, but it provided the opportunity to retain a significant amount of the embodied carbon of the initial build. It now serves as a centrepiece of the entire build and a great example of CEG’s ambitions for the project. It has been a pleasure working with CEG and we hope to have the opportunity to work collaboratively again in the future.” Paul Richardson, investment manager at CEG said: “1000 Aztec West was redesigned with modern tenants’ key requirements in mind. From environmental sustainability and data connectivity, to the wide variety of onsite facilities designed to maximise staff wellbeing, we have delivered city-centre specifications not seen in out-of-town Bristol before.” The development has achieved BREEAM Excellent and EPC A. An all-electric building, it is powered by renewable energy and boasts energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems. As well as saving some 1.7 million kg of embodied carbon, coupled with its Net Zero in Operation performance, 1000 Aztec West is a game changer for out-of-office headquarters. The building incorporates a secure cycle block, with leisure club quality shower and changing facilities to encourage sustainable travel. The 1,300 sq ft state-of-the-art gym, wellness facility and daily classes on offer are designed to boost tenant health, fitness and productivity. The setting alongside Aztec Lake, landscaped gardens and picnic areas and the rooftop terraces, helps boost mood. There is also a myriad of indoor spaces, including café, provide places to eat, meet, drink and work, all with access to Wi-Fi and plug-in points. Architect Ed Hayden, director of Scott Brownrigg, said: “Aztec 1000 takes advantage of location, orientation and existing materials to maximise ‘fabric first’ design principles and create a stunning new addition to the architecture of Bristol’s workspace. “Sustainability is achieved by retaining as much of the existing material as is practically possible and building passive energy and carbon saving strategies into the layout and fabric of the design. Overheating in the summer is negated with the careful specification of extremely high performing solar control glazing and the inclusion of ‘light shelves’ which bounce daylight into the heart of the building. “The result is a strikingly contemporary reimagining of the workplace, which Scott Brownrigg is proud to have supported CEG in creating.” The agents marketing the development are Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), Cushman and Wakefield and Carter Jonas. Ian Wills, Director office agency and tenant representation at JLL said: “We knew the building would be good, but walking the finished floors it is clear just how inspiring this work environment is compared with the usual business park offer.  The semi-exposed ceilings, full height glazing, views of the lake and park, the impressive reception, gym and café make this the most amazing place to work.” To entice new tenants to the space, CEG is providing an on-site Life concierge team to make occupier’s lives easier and healthier. A dedicated smartphone app will be used to book meeting rooms, organise events, arrange dry-cleaning, book bike maintenance or fitness classes, as well as offer local shopping and activity discounts. CEG also offers an innovative, flexible approach to leasing, even providing fit-outs to reduce occupiers’ capital spend. Its Core and Flex model also allows a business to expand and contract within the space to help manage uncertainty, growth and seasonal demand. CEG has £300m investment properties currently under management across Bristol, providing some 450,000 sq ft of the highest-quality city centre and out-of-town workspace for start-ups, scale ups or corporate headquarters. As well Quorum in the city centre, CEG is redeveloping The Crescent Centre and is delivering the 200,000 sq ft EQ development at 111 Victoria Street. More information is available at: www.1000aztecwest.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals