The EG Interview: EDGE on health, happiness and the post-Covid office

It would be fair to argue that there are better moments to release the first plans for an upcoming scheme than in the midst of a global pandemic. But somehow, when Dutch developer EDGE unveiled the images and initial details of its debut London scheme last month, the timing felt just right. In a world where disruption, disorientation and a creeping sense of general malaise threaten to become the norm, albeit temporarily, a bold and public declaration by a developer so staunchly focused on the future was a welcome tonic. This is all before we even get to the details of EDGE London Bridge itself. The 255,000 sq ft scheme at 60 St Thomas Street, SE1, near the Shard, is set to be the most sustainable office tower in the capital, as EDGE is aiming for both BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum certifications. The Pilbrow & Partners design paired with the timing brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “green shoots”. This is a development that not only signals a strong future for London real estate – it has highlighted just how crucial it is for that future to be sustainable and safe at a time when neither have been more important. EG spoke to EDGE’s chief operating officer, Boudewijn Ruitenburg, about how EDGE London Bridge could become the post-pandemic approach to office design that others should be looking to for inspiration, why health should be considered an integral part of sustainability by default and how investors will always have faith in London real estate, no matter how tough the market might get. These trying times make the importance of healthier and more sustainable buildings even clearer A new standard “We hope we can contribute something new to London with this project,” says Ruitenburg. “These trying times make the importance of healthier and more sustainable buildings even clearer. What we want to achieve is all about air quality and health. In so many traditional buildings these things are just not good enough. So there is a lot we can do to improve on that. “Then there are the sensors which we have used in our other projects. They give live data on how the building is being used, which will be especially useful in these coronavirus times. Steering density and being able to spread people out and move them to the right floor will all be possible with this new building.” [caption id="attachment_1034107" align="aligncenter" width="847"] EDGE London Bridge: set to be the most sustainable office tower in the capital[/caption] While occupancy remains some way off, with completion slated for 2024, if widespread predictions are right, and the office spaces that will thrive in the years following the pandemic are those with a focus on health, safety, flexibility and a modern approach to the working world, then EDGE looks set to deliver exactly what is required at just the right moment. And not for the first time. When the Edge in Amsterdam opened its doors in 2015, it hit headlines across the globe. The most sustainable building in the world at the time of its launch, it was also the smartest and one of the first examples of an app-controlled office development. This was a building that promoted “a radical new way of working”. It could control the temperature around employees’ desks based on their preferences, remember how they took their coffee and guide them to a workspace pre-selected to fit their needs, based on their diary for the day. It is easy to forget that, five years ago, this was groundbreaking stuff. As a result, the Edge and latterly the new Edge Olympic – often referred to as the Edge 2 – have put Amsterdam on the map for commercial real estate innovation. It came as little surprise then that when EDGE announced its £50m purchase of 60 St Thomas Street in June last year, it set out to make sure that its London market debut would have a substantial impact on innovative development in the city from the word go. Speaking at the time of the purchase, Ruitenburg said: “When you come to a big market like London, you have to deliver a showcase. In a city like this, all eyes will be on us, so we will definitely be bringing something completely new to the market.” The greenest office tower in London certainly ticks that box. But how will EDGE actually deliver on that claim? When you come to a big market like London, you have to deliver a showcase Health and happiness For Ruitenburg, the key message here is that sustainability and health and wellbeing are almost interchangeable. The greener the space, the cleaner the air, the lower the emissions, then the healthier and happier the people operating in and around the building will be. That is why, apart from a focus on using timber where possible and the show-stopping public park that will sit next to the building, it is elements such as the underfloor air supply combined with natural ventilation that EDGE is prioritising. These will also be the components that take the developer closer to its goal of securing that double whammy: the BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum certificates. “We will be using an advanced underfloor system for air quality together with a radiant cooling system that means we are able to create very fresh air all of the time,” says Ruitenburg. “It is much better than the conventional systems you would find in most traditional buildings because they mix old and new air together.” The proposed facades balance daylight with shading to avoid unwanted thermal gains or losses and will contribute to a reduction in regulated carbon emissions on site. The landscaping of the neighbouring public park will extend into the building itself with greenery throughout, an entrance area referred to as a “green podium” and planted balconies. Good natural light is another must for securing the WELL certification, hence the focus on floor-to-ceiling windows and radiant cooling. [caption id="attachment_1034109" align="aligncenter" width="847"] The Edge in Amsterdam was the smartest and most sustainable building in the world when it opened in 2015[/caption] Then there are the sensors. Combined with an IP-based management system, EDGE has been pioneering the use of sensors to provide live usage data on its buildings since it opened the original EDGE in 2015. While questions around privacy were raised initially, the world has naturally been adjusting to their use over the past five years. And the likelihood is that the current crisis we are all facing will only accelerate uptake. “We never expected sensors to be used to, say, steer density or to spread people out,” says Ruitenburg. “But they can be used for that purpose, so we are very prepared for that if we were to require such flexibility in the future. They also offer the possibility of accessing users, the people in the building, via an app, which could also prove useful in future.” Of course, it has been this particular smart buildings feature that so many people have shied away from to date. The idea of being connected into the building via an app has raised concerns over feeling tracked, and while there is a more open approach to being part of an integrated building app now than there was back in 2015, plenty of people are still reticent about being plugged in. Could this start to change more rapidly in the wake of Covid-19? If more people being connected meant the building was better equipped to keep staff safely spread out, for example, would it fuel an uptick in utilisation? “It certainly could do, yes,” says Ruitenburg. “No one would ever be forced to use the app, but if more is being offered in return for signing up on the safety side then more people could be willing to use it. You just have to be absolutely transparent about what you do with the data, your security levels and the policies that you have in place.” What we have learned with all of our projects is how important it is to develop them in core locations – the winning cities What is the office for? There has been much discussion around the impact that coronavirus will have on the future of the office over the past few weeks. And while one could argue that EDGE is primed to offer the London market something that is even more attractive post-pandemic, there are questions to be raised over the future of the workplace more generally on the back of widespread remote working and a reassessment of what the office is actually for. This is a fair point, says Ruitenburg. But for offices that deliver what occupiers want, the end is far from nigh. “What has been funny is how surprised we have all been to discover that it’s really quite easy to work from home technically. There were no massive tech barriers that got in the way of most of us switching from office to home-working overnight. “However, I think we will all miss our colleagues and connecting and sharing ideas. People will want to return to that to a degree, but perhaps we will change our behaviour as well. Maybe we will spend a little bit less time at the office, go in later in the morning and use the space in a different way. “I don’t believe people will skip it altogether because they will miss being able to go somewhere to collaborate. But I do think people will want to be in buildings that make them feel safe. They will want to be in an environment where the air is clean and where the space is flexible. I think that is the future.” Uplifting though the news of such a positive development was, there can be no denying it was unusual timing to announce plans for a new scheme. But then unusual is not something EDGE shies away from. The trick, says Ruitenburg, is always to look past the short term. “Of course there is a lot of uncertainty at the moment,” he says. “In the coming weeks and months we will be confronted with a lot of negative economic news, and more and more companies will face troubles. But we believe some of the cities in the world will ultimately fare well. “We believe London will be one of the winners, especially with investors who will be looking now to invest money in safe havens. And what we have learned with all of our projects is how important it is to develop them in core locations – the winning cities. If you develop the best buildings in the best cities, you can survive hard times.” It is holding on to a sense of positivity that Ruitenburg hopes will see EDGE and many others through the coming months, and he urges others to adopt a similar attitude. “It’s a difficult situation right now,” he concedes. “We are all finding it tough, but I am hopeful that things are moving in the right direction. It’s unclear at what point in time we will be able to go back to our old rhythm, and it may take a little bit longer, but I’m positive that we can make it. “What I really hope is that other people can also start to become a bit more positive. That’s so important for the economy to be able to pick up again. Ultimately, it’s all about confidence.” To send feedback, e-mail emily.wright@egi.co.uk or tweet @EmilyW_9 or @estatesgazette