Bank unveils ‘greenest’ office block in Birmingham
HSBC has returned to its historic Midland roots as it opened its new UK headquarters in the heart of Birmingham.
The 11-storey building, which forms part of the huge Arena Central development, in Broad Street, is believed to be the greenest of its kind in the Second City.
Around 2,500 employees have moved into the building as part of a £200 million HSBC investment in the region.
The 210,000 sq ft building houses retail, commercial and support staff who run the bank’s day-to-day operations.
The total number of employees in the Birmingham area will now be around 3,500 across the bank’s different office sites and branches.
The building is the first in Birmingham to be constructed to LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Gold accreditation, with sustainability at the heart of its design. The building’s green credentials include:
A reduction in energy consumption of almost 24 per cent compared to typical offices;
30 per cent of material used was from recycled sources;
Expected reduced water usage of 34 per cent ;
Over 30 per cent of the construction materials are sourced and manufactured locally;
Over 5,500 plants creating a living green wall from the ground floor atrium to the 10th floor lift lobby.
Located at 1 Centenary Square, the building occupies a prominent position overlooking Broad Street and Centenary Square.
The site was previously home to the famous ATV Television Studios.
Ian Stuart, chief executive of HSBC UK, said: “We have been planning for this moment for a long time, and I am very proud to be at the helm and witness this new chapter in HSBC’s history.
“The Midlands was home to this bank for many years, the first branch was opened here in 1836, and our 250-year lease shows our commit- ment to the region. We chose to locate our new head office in Birmingham because it’s a dynamic and entrepreneurial city, offering an attractive home for businesses and people at the heart of the UK. In talking with colleagues who have relocated to Birmingham from different parts of the country, it was certainly a good choice.”
The entrance is guarded by two bronze lions nicknamed Stephen and Stitt after two senior managers in the 1920s.
A spokesman said the offices were designed using ‘feng shui’ and a traditional ceremony to introduce the lions took place to “ensure a positive flow of energy, or ch’i”.
The new facilities at the headquarters include: An HSBC UK branch; The HSBC UK University training centre; A gym and cycle facilities; Free bicycle use for staff to enable them to cycle to meetings.