Local authorities are under intense pressure to simultaneously improve access to services while being more efficient. With a public library, service centre, gym and swimming pools beneath ten floors of office accommodation, the new building has enabled the London Borough of Camden to significantly improve its face-to-face customer services. And, by co-locating several previously disparate departments into one open volume, the new offices have been a catalyst for a dramatic change in the working culture. Greater interaction and collaboration between departments has enabled substantial efficiencies and operational cost savings.
The project has also transformed the environmental impact of the council. It is an exemplar of an environmental building in an-inner city context, which achieves the highest standards of environmental sustainability for a major office development, using a combination of complementary passive and active design features to obtain very low carbon emissions. These include the use of low glazing ratios and an energy-efficient ventilation system. At the time of completion, 5 Pancras Square achieved the highest BREEAM Outstanding rating (96.7%) ever achieved.
