Boreal House
Leeds
When the original tenant vacated Boreal House after occupying the entire 30,000 sq ft building since construction, the landlord faced a critical decision: undertake a standard refurbishment or seize the opportunity to future-proof the asset for tomorrow’s marketplace. CubicWorks successfully tendered to deliver a comprehensive transformation that would position Boreal House at the forefront of ESG excellence. We engineered a complete building renaissance focused on dramatically improving environmental performance while creating a workplace that meets the evolving demands of today’s businesses. The project achieved the coveted EPC Grade A rating – demonstrating our expertise in delivering sustainability improvements that enhance both environmental credentials and commercial value.
Location
Leeds
Client
CS2
Size
30,000
Duration
6 months
We delivered a comprehensive refurbishment across 30,000 sq ft that transformed Boreal House from a single-tenant building into a modern, environmentally efficient workspace ready for multiple occupiers. Our scope included complete remodelling of the reception area to create a welcoming first impression that reflects the building’s enhanced environmental credentials, transformation of all circulation spaces to improve flow and functionality throughout the building,
comprehensive upgrade of toilet and shower blocks to modern standards with water-efficient fixtures, full CAT A office refurbishment creating flexible, contemporary workspace that attracts today’s businesses, and comprehensive replacement of all M&E services with energy-efficient systems designed to achieve and maintain EPC Grade A performance. Every element was precisely engineered to maximize environmental performance while delivering exceptional workplace quality.
This project presented the complex challenge of completely transforming a building that had been configured for a single tenant since construction while simultaneously achieving ambitious ESG benchmarks
The fundamental challenge was engineering solutions that would achieve EPC Grade A rating – a demanding standard that requires exceptional energy efficiency across all building systems. We needed to strip out and replace decades-old M&E infrastructure while the building remained structurally sound, coordinate multiple work streams across reception, circulation, facilities, and office areas without compromising the building’s integrity, and ensure every upgrade contributed to the overall ESG strategy rather than simply meeting minimum standards. Most critically, we had to deliver these improvements while creating a flexible CAT A environment that would attract multiple tenants in an increasingly competitive marketplace where environmental performance directly impacts letting success.
The CubicWorks Difference
Our 40+ years of collective problem-solving experience proved essential when tackling the complex interplay between environmental performance and commercial viability. While others might have seen this as a standard refurbishment with some energy upgrades, we understood that achieving EPC Grade A required a holistic approach where every decision supported the overall ESG strategy.
Our in-house trades worked in perfect coordination to ensure the M&E replacement, office refurbishment, and common area improvements all contributed to the building’s enhanced environmental performance. We took genuine care to understand how modern businesses evaluate buildings, engineering solutions that deliver both the environmental credentials tenants demand and the workplace quality they expect. Our expertise in ESG-focused refurbishments enabled us to balance technical requirements with commercial considerations, ensuring Boreal House would compete effectively in a market where sustainability is no longer optional.
Boreal House now stands as a benchmark for how comprehensive refurbishment can transform both environmental performance and commercial appeal, achieving the prestigious EPC Grade A rating that positions it among the most energy-efficient office buildings in the region. The building transformation demonstrates that exceptional ESG performance and outstanding workplace quality are not competing priorities but complementary achievements. By focusing on comprehensive M&E replacement and thoughtful space planning, we’ve created a building ready to attract the growing number of businesses that prioritize environmental responsibility alongside operational excellence. Most importantly, we’ve proven that strategic refurbishment can transform legacy buildings into tomorrow’s workspace standards, delivering both immediate environmental benefits and long-term commercial value.
Engineering ESG Excellence for Commercial Success
When buildings need to meet tomorrow’s environmental standards today, you need contractors who understand that ESG performance and commercial viability go hand in hand.
Our work at Boreal House demonstrates why we’re the experienced problem-solvers that forward-thinking landlords trust with their most strategic refurbishments – taking responsibility others won’t accept and engineering solutions that achieve EPC Grade A performance while creating workspaces that businesses genuinely want to occupy.
CubicWorks
