Award-winning living wall installed at 1 Newbridge Square, Swindon
At the heart of Swindon’s business district, 1 Newbridge Square has been newly refurbished, offering premium Cat A office and retail space to support Swindon’s evolution and attract inward investment. Throughout the transformation, at FI Real Estate Management, wellness, sustainability and innovation have always been front of mind, allowing the team to bring the building up to modern-day standards and achieve a BREEAM Excellent accreditation for future occupiers to benefit from.
As part of this work, we were thrilled to work with Urban Planters to install an aesthetic internal living green wall to help achieve the building’s environmental and sustainability goals, which has since received a ‘Gold Leaf Award’ from Plants at Work for its thoughtful design and installation.
A greener, healthier space
Covering a total area of 28.32m2 and containing a diverse mix of 1,300 plants, the green feature wall not only looks amazing but is also proven to contribute to a healthy, stress-reducing environment. A research study by CBRE Netherlands Healthy Offices Research has shown that natural space makes individuals feel 65% healthier, 78% happier, and 76% more energetic, which is now something our tenants can benefit from.
Asplenium Nidus 'Campio', Asplenium Antiquum 'Osaka', Scindapsus Pictus and Croton (Codiaeum) variegatum 'Petra', are the four types of plants featured across the wall. Each of these was carefully selected to help meet our air purification and sustainability goals for the office. These species of plants will also increase office humidity by 5% – which increases to 17% in winter months – which will, in turn, help to improve concentration, productivity and wellbeing, as well as enhance room acoustics.
Space-saving sustainability
Made from recyclable materials, Urban Planters installed a MobiPanel system to facilitate the internal green wall at 1 Newbridge Square. Made to promote biodiversity and sustainability, the modular system features interchangeable plant cassettes, each placed in gutter profiles that act as water reservoirs. Using capillary action, the plants efficiently absorb the water, ensuring minimal consumption and no waste.
The system takes up minimal space while having a significant impact on the working environment. In addition to the wellbeing and concentration benefits, the system also offers insulating and sound-absorbing benefits, contributing to a stress-reducing environment.
Level up your workspace
At FI Real Estate Management, we’re proud to have brought innovation and sustainability together to create a modern, net-zero office space designed with sustainability and occupant wellness in mind.
Our vision for 1 Newbridge Square, coupled with our belief in Swindon’s potential to become a leading business destination, has meant that the project has become more than a goal to provide office space. The development combines a prime business location, flexible space and a commitment to sustainability to create a space fit for the next generation of work.
For more information or to arrange a viewing, please visit www.1newbridgesquare.com or contact Dom Knowles, FI Real Estate Management, at dknowles@fi-rem.com or 0845 500 6161