Transforming the flagship ‘Smart’ office of tomorrow
'Excellent'
BREEAM rating
‘Platinum’
WiredScore rating
EPC A
Highly energy efficient building
Delivering MEP, BREEAM services and an energy strategy for the stylish redevelopment of the flagship 12 King Street in the heart of Leeds.
Located in the heart of Leeds, Kings Court was built in 1989. Known as the historic quarter, this part of the city is being re-energised with a host of businesses moving to the area including Channel 4.
Backed by their funding partners Fiera Real Estate UK, Opus North acquired the building formerly occupied by Walker Morris LLP in late 2019 and then set out on a path to redevelop the building as part of their vision to provide the “best-in-class office product” in Leeds.
It’s been transformed by the Yorkshire-based developer into a flagship office building, now known as 12 King Street, adding an additional two floors to provide 54,000 sq. ft of Grade A office space.
“ Occupier demands are changing. Businesses want more choice in their workspace and more services and amenities for their staff. This trend is already disrupting the market in Leeds but is also opening up new opportunities to add value for us, which we will apply at 12 King Street. ”
Andrew Duncan
Director of Opus North
The office of tomorrow
This development is all about re-imagining the office environment. It’s been re-developed from the ground up to accommodate the new normal and to provide a platform for talented people to thrive.
Based in the city centre, 12 King Street’s radical transformation includes a striking new façade, complete replacement of the fifth and sixth floors, two new floors, a state-of-the-art cycle spa, and an impressive sky lounge with extensive roof terraces.
A complete mechanical and electrical strip out
Occupier demands have been changing for some time. Businesses want more choice in their workspace and more services and amenities for their community of occupiers.
Re-purposing an existing building presents a number of MEP constraints. Working closely with DLA Architecture from conception to completion (RIBA Stage 0-7) has been a key factor in achieving the developer’s vision.
Given future legislation change around the minimum energy standards of commercial buildings, there was a real desire to achieve an EPC A-rating at 12 King Street. This has been achieved despite it being an existing building with space constraints in key areas, such as the basement where height is limited. This meant designing to a hi-spec throughout and making the most of any new building fabric used to extend the building upward.
Highest sustainability credentials
Our work at 12 King Street included a complete strip-out of all existing services, as part of meeting the developer’s commitment to delivering a space that’s fit for the future.
As the structure didn’t allow for a central system, our MEP strategy included a local unit passing through the façade to provide fresh filtered air with on-floor mechanical ventilation and heat recovery units to make the most of the energy already used in the building.
Our BREEAM Accredited Professionals also supported Opus North with their aim to achieve a an 'Excellent' accreditation, providing expert ‘in your shoes’ advice on sustainability, environmental design, and environmental assessment. This involved coordinating the project team's efforts to schedule activities, set priorities and negotiate any trade-off required to meet the BREEAM rating.
Cutting-edge systems, fit for the future
Combining high-quality finishes with cutting edge technology, our MEP designs support new modern systems. Digital technology is vital for enabling better-connected and collaborative futures.
To futureproof the development, 12 King Street is a ‘Smart’ enabled building incorporating Internet of Things sensors throughout and a Building Management System (BMS). The BMS will provide intelligent building services providing fully automated smart controls, together with monitoring of use of workspaces across the building. This will allow the building, and its management team, to learn and adapt to the needs of its user and provide greater operational efficiencies and savings.
As a result, the building has been awarded a WiredScore ‘Platinum’ rating, which is the highest possible mark for the quality of its wired infrastructure, resilience and wireless network.
Images courtesy of Opus North / DLA Architecture
Related specialisms
Building performance optimisation
Combining high-quality finishes with cutting edge technology, our designs support the use of a Building Management System. This provides intelligent, fully automated smart controls, together with monitoring of use of workspaces across the building.
Daylight and sunlight studies
By refining the building massing and utilising mitigation strategies, such as glazing and fenestrations, we find the right balance between levels of natural daylight, additional heating and cooling that may be required in areas with large elements of glazing.
Sustainability benchmarking and environmental assessments
Our BREEAM Accredited Professionals provide expert ‘in your shoes’ advice on sustainability, environmental design, and environmental assessments.
