Work kicks off to develop Edinburgh's greenest office building

An office building in Edinburgh’s financial district is aiming to become the city’s greenest after the start of a major redevelopment project.

The building at 30 Semple Street will deliver some 57,000 square feet of much-needed high-grade office accommodation when it completes in June 2024. Acting on behalf of CBRE Investment Management (CBREIM), development management consultancy Corran Properties has now appointed Ogilvie Construction to undertake the project.

The existing building - formerly known as Excel House, in the city’s Exchange District - will be stripped back to its frame before two new floors are added as well as a “stunning” new facade. Services for prospective occupiers will include 85 bike spaces, changing and showering facilities and on-site charging facilities for those arriving by electric vehicle.

Nick Ball, managing director of Corran Properties, said: “Office design is moving towards a more sustainable future so from the outset the focus has been to achieve the highest environmental goals possible, and this has resulted in a number of firsts for 30 Semple Street. To achieve the leading sustainability credentials alongside the outstanding facilities for staff and flexible, modern workspace we’re delivering for 30 Semple Street, the solution in the past would have been to demolish and start again. However, by retaining the original structure, we’ve saved 3,300 tons of CO2, more than 50 per cent of the carbon in reconstruction. The new building will operate with net zero carbon emissions and sets a very high new benchmark, not only in Edinburgh but further afield too.”