Orchard Street Investment Management (‘Orchard Street’), the specialist commercial property investment manager, announces that its Bauhaus Office scheme, located between Manchester’s Spinningfields and St. John’s districts , has achieved a WELL Gold accreditation by sustainability and wellness certifier, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The certification makes Bauhaus the only refurbished building in the UK to have received the accreditation, and just one of only three UK buildings in total, following its comprehensive upgrade by Orchard Street.
Orchard Street acquired Bauhaus in 2013, and subsequently completed a full refurbishment of the nine-storey building. This project focused on optimising the occupier experience both through improving the sustainability and wellbeing credentials of the asset, and creating a robust digital infrastructure platform, the latter of which led to the building being awarded a ‘Platinum’ certification for its digital connectivity by WiredScore.
In addition to its strong digital and wellness credentials, occupiers are attracted to its contemporary flexible ground-floor co-working space, full tenant concierge service, and generous roof terrace providing space for exercise classes, informal working and entertaining space. The building also offers a range of amenities including extensive cycling and showering facilities and car parking with electric vehicle and cycle charging. In line with Orchard Street’s Responsible Investment policy, Bauhaus has also been fitted with an intelligent building management system, to increase energy efficiency, optimise working conditions for occupiers and decrease costs.
WELL’s grading framework is built around 11 core concepts that encourage intentional office design and foster a culture of health and wellbeing for occupiers.
Sarah O’Connell, Asset Manager at Orchard Street Investment Management, said: “The significant refurbishment of Bauhaus provided us with an opportunity to deliver a prime office asset at the cutting-edge of health and wellness driven design, something increasingly in demand from occupiers who are evaluating their post-pandemic space requirements. That this building has achieved a WELL Gold status – and is the first refurbished building in the UK to do so – is testament to these sustainability and wellbeing credentials, and aligns with Orchard Street’s wider Responsible Investment policy, which places ESG considerations at the heart of its approach to investment.”
CBRE, Colliers International and OBI Property are joint leasing agents on the scheme.
