One of the West of England’s greenest office buildings has been put up for sale following the decision by iconic office furniture maker Herman Miller to centralise its UK operations.
The showpiece 20,000 sq ft building in Chippenham, known as VillageGreen, was designed as the European headquarters of the US-owned firm by renowned Californian architects Gensler to reflect its environmental ethos.
It key features include a natural ventilation system – which keeps energy costs to a minimum and reducing emissions – insulation over and above statutory legislation, meters to monitor water flow and detect leaks, and rainwater harvesting.
Its sustainability credentials include an ‘excellent’ rating under BREEAM environmental accreditation scheme – one of only a handful of buildings in the South West to have this – and a gold LEED rating. All materials used in its construction were sourced within 30 miles.
When VillageGreen opened 10 years ago, Herman Miller said it wanted it to be “a benchmark for sustainable facilities”.