Cadworks Opens its Doors as Glasgow’s First ‘Net Zero’ Office

Scotland’s most sustainable office development, ‘Cadworks’, in Glasgow City Centre, launched today, having been completed to coincide with COP26.  It is the city’s first office building that is Net Zero Carbon in operation, and sets a new standard for the city.  We are pleased that we have already let part of the building to UK law firm TLT.

Video of the event is available here.

The 94,000 sq. ft. Grade A office on Cadogan Street features the city’s first cycle-in access ramp, extensive facilities for the growing number of Glasgow cyclists, and has the city’s first private fleet of Swifty Scooters for tenants to use free.

Cadworks was officially opened today by Lord Provost Philip Braat, with special guest local Olympic cycling champion, Jack Carlin. Jack was interviewed on his successful cycling career by children from nearby Oakgrove Primary School, with lunch by social enterprise Social Bite.

Cadworks is the city’s first office building that is Net Zero Carbon in operation, an achievement made possible through extensive innovations in building materials, on-site electricity generation via solar panels, and high efficiency all-electric heating and cooling systems.  Rated BREEAM Excellent and EPC A, the building uses no fossil fuels and 100% of waste will be diverted from landfill.

The building is also the first Glasgow office development to use a pioneering paint, Airlite, that removes greenhouse gases from the air and has been proven to kill 99% of viruses. This has helped the building receive a Gold AirScore accreditation for its excellent indoor air quality.  The high-tech specification includes the city’s best digital infrastructure and Cadworks has been rated ‘Platinum’ by WiredScore.

Cadworks was designed by architects Cooper Cromar and built by contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, who delivered innovative building techniques, many of which have not been used before in the city such as concrete containing no cement.

With Glasgow just having hosted COP26, the impact of the built environment on climate change remains top of mind.  Cities account for more than 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, and buildings are the single largest contributor to the climate crisis.  Through projects like Cadworks, FORE is driving much needed innovation in the built environment.  The firm has joined the UN’s “Race to Zero” and made an industry-leading commitment for all of its properties to achieve Net Zero by 2025.

Cadworks has already signed TLT as its flagship tenant.

Cadworks features an ‘urban village hall’ which will host events with occupiers joining local community groups and social enterprises.  FORE, a certified B Corporation, plans for a ‘conservation corner’ that will provide a legacy of COP, showcasing the challenges of climate change and innovations that can help.

Today’s launch event celebrated the work of three local social enterprises that have partnered with Cadworks during the build, with FORE matching all of their guests’ donations to Refuweegee, Social Bite, and SoulRiders.

FORE Partnership’s managing partner, Basil Demeroutis, said: “We set out to change the Glasgow property market by building office space that is as wholly sustainable as it is world-class and we are delighted to have delivered Scotland’s greenest office space.

“But our vision is never simply restricted to bricks and mortar – our ethos is to drive system change and be a catalyst for positive change where we invest, whether by working with grassroots organisations or larger social enterprises that make an enormous difference to people in each city. In Cadworks, we have brought our vision for the future of real estate to life and have already welcomed TLT, who share our goal of carefully stewarding our increasingly fragile environment. As we launch Cadworks today, I hope that it acts as a catalyst for transformation not only of buildings, but also of business more generally.”

John Paul Sheridan, partner and Scotland location head for TLT, said: “Cadworks’ sustainable office design, alongside its vision of the wider positive social impact developments like this can have, is an approach that sits well alongside our own priorities for our people, our planet and our communities.

“Cadworks provides the perfect place for us to create TLT’s first concept office to help shape our working environment nationally and allows us to create a space that reflects our new flexible working approach with employee wellness and client collaboration at its heart.”

Cadworks is located on Cadogan Street in Glasgow city centre, minutes from Central Station. The building is being let by Savills, Ryden, and Avison Young.