Perspectives

Solais House showcases NG Bailey's expert credentials in offering an integrated wholelife approach to building services, as the first to use all of the company's functions under one roof, and is one of only a few BREEAM rated buildings in Scotland.

Read on to find out how those involved feel about the project.

Neil Hanning, project director, Cooper Cromar:

"Having grown out of the existing facilities in Glasgow and Edinburgh, NG Bailey decided to relocate to Strathclyde Business Park to a new purpose built facility to cater for its increasing workforce. Strathclyde Business Park was chosen due to its central location in Scotland and its established distinctive Business Park aesthetic.

"As a Company firmly committed to leading the industry on Sustainability the brief set out by NG Bailey was to achieve the highest possible BREEAM rating at this location, using the latest technologies. This brief provided us with an extremely exciting and challenging opportunity to integrate all these new technologies into new office development set within the more conventional design of the Business Park.

"The two-storey development was designed to house 150 NG Bailey employees and includes features such as a ground source heat pump, photovoltaic glass, natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting, solar thermal collectors on the roof, integrated control systems for lighting and other services, recycling facilities and integral blinds which provide shade and prevent heat penetration.

"These new features have had a dramatic affect on the appearance of the external envelope of the building with the photovoltaic panels at the main entrance and every window designed with the integral blinds .The overall result is a cutting edge designed building with all the latest sustainable technologies integrated into a modern working environment. We see this development as the benchmark for all future projects to aspire too."