NG Bailey scores first EPC A rating for Scottish HQ

NG Bailey has officially opened its Scottish headquarters. The building has been awarded an Energy Performance Certificate 'A' rating, said to be Scotland's first, and a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

Solais House, a two-story office site at Strathclyde Business Park, was opened by Richard Lambert, the director general of the CBI, and Paul King, chief executive of the UK Green Building Council, at an event attended by over 150 business leaders.

NG Bailey's Solais House

The project’s key building solutions include solar thermal collectors, which will be used to heat domestic water; the application of a new photovoltaic glass, containing integrated solar cells to convert energy into electricity, and a ground source heat pump to provide for all the building’s heating requirements.

The building also features natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting and recycling facilities.

Greener buildings will be a key part of our future, and it is heartening that the property industry is starting to reflect that.

Richard Lambert, director general CBI

Lambert commented: “This building is a wonderfully vivid statement of confidence in the future, and a fine example of the ingenuity and innovation that NG Bailey has shown for more than 80 years.

“To meet our challenging climate change targets the UK has to cut carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, and more than double its energy efficiency. Greener buildings will be a key part of our future, and it is heartening that the property industry is starting to reflect that.”

The building has been under construction since August 2007, and is predicted to perform 42.4% better than England and Wales' Part L requirements, with an annual Building Emission Rate of 13.3kgCO2/m2.