The Queen officially opens the greenest building in the world

Her Majesty The Queen has officially opened the Co-operative Group’s new head office, named the greenest building in the world on the same day.

On Thursday, 14 November an internationally acclaimed system of assessing buildings named the Group’s new head office in Manchester, One Angel Square, the most environmentally friendly building in the world.

Accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen toured One Angel Square before unveiling a plaque to mark the formal opening of the 14-storey building.

The Group's Chairman Len Wardle formally welcomed The Queen and His Royal Highness to One Angel Square before inviting Her Majesty to unveil the commemorative plaque bearing the words:

"1 Angel Square was officially opened by

Her Majesty The Queen
Accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

Thursday 14th November 2013"

Mr Wardle also invited The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to sign the Visitors Book.

Children from Blackley Academy delighted the Queen with artwork they helped to inspire as part of The Co-operative’s Green Schools Revolution programme.

One Angel Square received a score of 95.16 per cent in the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), this being the highest ever awarded. The Group’s head office has many environmentally friendly features, including power generated from crops grown on the Group’s farms, heating and cooling the premises by drawing air below the basement and redistributing it at the earth’s core temperature and a double skin façade that acts as a “duvet” to insulate the offices in the winter and ventilate it in the summer.

Referring to the Queen’s visit, Euan Sutherland, the Co-operative Group’s Chief Executive, said: “The visit today by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh symbolised the completion of the building and one of the most significant UK construction projects in the past five years.

“From the outset the Group set very high aspirations for the green credentials of the new building, but for One Angel Square to be recognised as the most environmentally friendly building in the world is a truly remarkable achievement,” he said.

Gavin Dunn, Director of BREEAM, BRE Global also said: “This achievement of the highest score ever under BREEAM reflects an ambitious vision and commitment from The Co-operative Group and their project team. They have created a highly sustainable, extremely low carbon space. An excellent working environment with deep green credentials.”

One Angel Square is phase one NOMA, an £800 million, ten-year regeneration project backed by the Co-operative Group. NOMA is a major scheme to redevelop 20 acres of the northern part of Manchester city centre.