Town firm plans for eco-friendly office (From Andover Advertiser)
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Town firm plans for eco-friendly office
12:00pm Sunday 10th February 2013 in Basingstoke By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
An artist's impression of the new-look Southern Electric offices in Winchester Road
A BASINGSTOKE business is showing its commitment to the environment by refurbishing its offices to make them eco-friendly.
Southern Electric has announced that two of its older town centre buildings, in Winchester Road, where hundreds of business energy sales staff are based, will be transformed over the coming months.
Centenary House will be fitted with solar PV roof panels, insulated modern cladding and energy-saving windows.
The original part of the building dates back to the 1960s and was extended in the 1970s and again in the 1980s, all in different styles.
The refurbishment will make the building look more attractive but also allow it to generate its own electricity using the solar panels.
The company, which employs 700 staff at its town centre site, is also revamping an on-site conference centre by converting it to office space with energy efficient LED lighting and double glazed windows to reduce the amount of heat lost from inside the building. Shower facilities for staff who cycle to work will also be installed.
Terry Tippell, director of business sales and service for Southern Electric, said: “We’re a major employer in Basingstoke and we were aware our buildings, many of which have been here for years, were looking a bit tired around the edges and also not up to modern energy standards.
“This refurbishment will bring the buildings firmly into the 21st century, making them more pleasant to work in and hopefully more visually appealing for local residents and neighbouring businesses as well.
“It’s also a sign of our firm commitment to retaining jobs and supporting the local development of the town. Our Basingstoke site has good access to the main transport links, the town and local shops, and we really value that.”
The work will take around a year to complete, during which time staff at Southern Electric will temporarily relocate to Chailey Court across the road, where the company has taken a short-term lease.
The other two office buildings on the Southern Electric site are more modern and will therefore not be involved in the refurbishment project.
AndrewRH says...
5:24pm Sun 10 Feb 13
There was no mention if they are also promoting the cycle-to-work scheme (big discounts on bicycle purchase) and adding additional bicycle storage, to encourage staff who live in the area to commute by bicycle instead of automobile. Let's hope!