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As a member of ClimateWise and the headline sponsor of the Catlin Arctic Survey, global insurance underwriting company Catlin has a forward-thinking approach to conducting business – and when it came to its new 129,000sq ft London office at 20 Gracechurch Street, it required a new workplace that would embrace the company’s eco-friendly ambitions.

In 2009, Catlin appointed Artillery Architecture and Interior Design to conduct a feasibility study and subsequently develop the design concepts for its new office. A shared view on corporate and social responsibility resulted in a mutual commitment to employ methods and materials which met with the highest environmental standards possible.

A team of specialists which included Artillery and technology expert Cordless, project manager Interactive Space and fit-out contractor BW Interiors were engaged to carry out a values and visioning exercise to identify the best materials, products and implementation methods to support Catlin’s in-house environmental initiatives. From the outset of the project, clear priorities were agreed and benchmarked in order to provide environmentally sensitive solutions to all aspects of the fit-out: design, technology, resourcing, supplier and workforce requirements.

As one of the largest commercial fit-out projects in the City in 2010, it was the first time that some of the appointed subcontractors and manufacturers had been scrutinised so closely on their products and working practices. For many, they had to rethink their supply chains to encompass more sustainable sources. Where possible, materials were sourced from within a 500-mile radius of the project and only materials with low embodied energy were utilised. Lintels were manufactured from recycled content and lime-based mortars were used for their low-energy consumption and reduced emission of greenhouse gases when compared to their cement-based counterparts. To ensure that contractors complied with specific criteria, fines were issued for noncompliance, raising a sum of £2,700 which was donated to charity.

Catlin’s in-house IT, facilities-management and project-management teams collaborated with Artillery and Cordless to design meeting-room layouts and bespoke housing units to support tele-presence and videoconferencing technologies for enhanced communication and collaboration in the VC suites. Zoned lighting controls allow for the optimal use of natural lighting versus artificial lighting. The state-of-the art VC suites were specifically designed to encourage external engagement and negate the need for executives to undertake excessive travel, reducing the impact of Catlin’s carbon footprint.

It was imperative to Catlin that its office should meet its overarching aim of creating a sustainable environment which is both BREEAM and LEED accredited. The completed project achieved a Silver SKA Rating, BREEAM Very Good status and met all LEED key-performance indicators. The Silver rating for SKA was achieved as a result of adhering to stringent BREEAM guidelines throughout the design stage and the project brought the synergies between SKA and BREEAM to the fore.

In May 2011, Catlin moved in and, six months on, 20 Gracechurch Street now plays host to almost 1000 employees who are encouraged to put Catlin’s new green initiatives into practice on a daily basis. The design of their office has provided a platform whereby employees are motivated to care for their immediate environment. The implementation of an energy-monitoring system enables employees to identify their impacts and reduce them. The result is the creation of a forward-thinking and sustainable workplace which echoes Catlin’s commitment to the ‘greener’ good.