PROPERTY
Perfect property - A rear view of Six Centre Square .
length of lease , rent , fit-out and running costs . However , what is not always recognised is that the property-related expenditure represents just five to 10 per cent of a company ’ s total operating cost . The vast majority of these costs are salaries and other employment costs , such as NI and pensions .
The focus instead should be on what needs to be done to attract , retain and motivate staff and thus minimise the cost of recruitment , training and the loss of productivity that occurs as new employees get up to speed .
Providing staff with a high-quality workplace is part of the solution . At Centre Square , we offer a combination of 3m floor-to-ceiling heights and fullheight glazing , an abundance of natural light and excellent ventilation and temperature control .
This provides staff with a great working environment and in turn makes them feel positive about going to work , enabling companies to see the full benefits of collaborative working , which is best achieved in the workplace .
Location is also important . Our position in the centre of Middlesbrough , the Tees Valley ’ s transport hub , makes it easier to travel to work and take advantage of a wide range of local amenities .
What about the rising cost of energy ? MA : A move to Centre Square ’ s Grade A offices can also help businesses cope with the impact of a five-fold increase
in electricity prices . The design of our offices incorporates a wide range of features which reduce energy usage . These include a low-energy LED lighting and control system with daylight dimming , and installation of Variable Refrigerant Flow ( VRF ) comfort cooling systems with heat recovery .
In addition , solar panels have been installed on the roof that power the solar water heating system and meet part of the building ’ s remaining power requirement . As a result , each of the Centre Square offices has achieved an EPC rating of A . This , in turn , has delivered significant savings to our occupiers .
For example , one of the largest has reduced its energy usage per square metre by approximately 60 per cent compared with its previous premises , which was an EPC D-rated building . This occupier will not only benefit from a move to Centre Square this year but for many years to come .
Furthermore , moving into an EPC A-rated building means businesses will avoid the cost and disruption associated with implementing the changes the government will be requiring .
Do businesses realise this is just around the corner ? MA : Perhaps not – and this seems to have gone under the radar . But research by Savill ’ s - one of the world ’ s oldest and leading property agents - suggests that 85 per cent of office space in commercial centres such as London , Leeds and Manchester is rated at EPC grade C or below and a further 800 million sq ft is below the proposed new B rating . It estimates that it could cost UK landlords more than £ 40 per sq ft (£ 430 per sq m ) to make these improvements in order to achieve the new energy targets .
Is Centre Square helping your occupiers reduce their impact on the environment ? MA : Very much so . In addition to the energy efficiency measures listed above we have reduced energy usage through the use of solar shading , the installation of eco-efficient passenger lifts and insulating the building to a very high standard .
The combined impact of all the above measures is that the building emission rate of our offices is a fraction of the average office building stock on Teesside . For example , by moving to Centre Square one of our larger occupiers has reduced its building emission rate ( measured as kg CO2 / m2 per year ) by 77 per cent .
Finally , is there any space left in the three buildings ? MA : Most has been let , but there is still approximately 5,000 sq ft available in One and Two Centre Square , as well as 10,000 sq ft on the top floor of the new building – Six Centre Square .
For more information , contact Ashall Projects on 01928 280160 or at mark . ashall @ ashallproperty . com or Dodds Brown on 01642 244130 or s . brown @ doddsbrown . co . uk
The voice of business in the Tees region | 85