Eden secures UK sustainability firsts with fitted office space in Manchester

As Earth Day shines a spotlight on the importance of more sustainable places and spaces, Eden is marking the occasion with another major milestone. Its new 5,134 sq. ft fitted and furnished office suite has secured not one but two UK firsts as the building continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship.

Delivered by ECF – the partnership between Muse, Homes England and L&G – the move-in ready office space at Eden launched earlier this spring, providing a plug and play solution for growing businesses and SMEs looking for sustainable office space in Manchester. From the outset, partners worked together to push the boundaries of what could be achieved in terms of environmental performance and sustainable credentials.

The results have once again moved the dial in the delivery of low carbon workplaces.

Two workplace sustainability firsts

Eden’s new suite has become the first of its kind in the UK to secure SKA V2 Gold certification along with achieving the first Net Zero Aligned approach.

Together, these two achievements reflect a fit-out strategy shaped by both environmental ambition and practical delivery. In simple terms, the design, materials and construction approach have been carefully considered to reduce embodied carbon, prioritise circularity and support alignment with the trajectory of the UK Net Zero Building Standard.

The SKA rating is one of the UK’s leading sustainability benchmarks for office fit-outs, developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). It measures environmental performance across areas such as energy use, materials, waste, water and wellbeing, with projects assessed against best practice criteria and awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold certification. The latest version having been updated in response to the sector challenging itself to be as ambitious and forward thinking as possible where sustainability is concerned.

Achieving SKA V2 Gold places Eden’s fitted and furnished suite among the highest-performing sustainable office fit-outs in the UK.

In order to secure these highly regarded certifications at Eden, partners worked proactively and collaboratively from the initial design phase right through to installation to ensure ambitions became a reality.

Circularity at the heart of a sustainable office fit-out

At the heart of the updated SKA rating – and central to carbon reduction within Eden’s new fitted and furnished office suite – is the concept of circularity, and in line with this the deconstructability and demountability of a range of fixtures have been prioritised where possible.

This includes the space’s Autex acoustic panels which were installed using a Velcro system so they can easily be taken down and reused, while 100% of the CAT A lighting has been utilised within the suite to ensure there was no wastage from the initial construction phase.

This was supported by focused supply chain engagement and procurement to responsibly sourcing materials which are either renewable or recyclable, dovetailing with the building’s commitment to low carbon office design.

For instance, the chairs in the kitchen area have been partially created using recycled consumer denim jeans, while cork has been specified throughout the suite where possible as it’s renewable, recyclable and biodegradable.

Taking a collaborative approach to deliver results

To create a sustainable workspace in Manchester that prioritises low carbon impact and enables measurable environmental performance across the project’s full lifecycle, careful and considerate planning was required from the suite’s inception.

Designed by Overbury – alongside Muse, Cundall, Chroma Consulting, Savills, Zero Zero One, Atelier Ten and Verte – early stage carbon modelling was undertaken to shape the strategy for material usage.

This was complemented by focused and comprehensive supply chain engagement and procurement in order to find solutions which centred on reuse, designing for disassembly and responsible sourcing.

The result is a space that not only aligns with the trajectory of the UK Net Zero Building Standard but acts as a ‘greenprint’ for the industry to follow, demonstrating that it’s possible to maintain commercial viability while also focusing on delivering a green office with a strong focus on carbon reduction.

Sustainable office space designed for people and planet

Now ready for businesses to move into and start working in from day one, the suite fully aligns with Eden’s ambition to create a workplace where teams and individuals can thrive in an environmentally-considerate setting that fosters productivity and wellbeing.

The fitted office space offers 50 fixed workstations, boardroom and meeting rooms, kitchen and dining space, pods and booths for focused working, and touchdown workspaces to spur collaboration, and of course also comes with Eden’s best-in-class amenities which have been crafted to promote mental, physical, and social health.

With demand continuing to grow for flexible office space in Manchester, additional fitted and furnished suites at Eden are being delivered this summer, giving more businesses the opportunity to move into high-quality, sustainable workspace without the time and complexity of a traditional fit-out.

Want to find out more about the suite?

If you’d like to learn more about the new workspace then please head to our dedicated fitted and furnished suite hub.

Here you can download the brochure, book a tour, explore the floorplan, and learn more about why Eden is the natural home for forward-thinking businesses looking for move-in ready office space in Manchester with leading sustainability credentials.