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Friday, October 03, 2008, 08:00
The agency, which is responsible for protecting and improving the environment throughout England and Wales, will relocate its national HQ to Cabot House, behind the Council House and opposite the city's central library, in two years.
A former council office stood derelict on the site for years before it was knocked down for redevelopment earlier this year.
Westmark Development will construct a building that is smaller and more efficient than the Environment Agency's current HQ, which is split over three sites in Bristol and Bath.
It will meet the "excellent" rating of the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Appraisal Method, making it one of the greenest office buildings in the UK.
Up to 1,000 agency staff – who are working at Rio House, Waterside Drive, in Aztec West, at the Government Buildings, Burghill Road, Westbury-on-Trym and at the Twerton office, Lower Bristol Road, Bath – will be housed in the building.
It will have:
● A natural ventilation system
● Comprehensive rainwater harvesting
● On-site renewable sources such as solar power
● A green management plan to minimise the use of energy and water and reduce the amount of waste going off-site.
The Environment Agency is aiming for the building to be carbon neutral by 2012.
More than 50 per cent of the material to be used in construction and fitting out the building will be recycled.
Graham Ledward, director of resources at the Environment Agency, said: "Today's news will see the relocation of the agency headquarters to a more sustainable building in Bristol city centre with one of the best environmental ratings possible.
"There were a number of very competitive proposals from different developers but we believe the option chosen represents best value for money and will provide a better working environment for our staff.
"It is encouraging to see that sustainable buildings are becoming a stronger feature in the market and we hope that Westmark's building will set an example for future commercial developments to follow."
City council leader, Helen Holland, said: "It's great news for our city that Europe's largest organisation dedicated to protecting and improving the environment has chosen to relocate to Bristol.
"This decision by the Environment Agency reflects Bristol's continued success in attracting major public sector organisations and private sector companies, and underlines why Bristol has the most successful English economy outside London.
"Bristol is keen to gain the title of European green capital and this announcement gives our city the opportunity to further develop partnerships which can lead the way in sustainable development."
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