Scotland’s national transport agency is to relocate its headquarters to a smaller office in Glasgow that is more eco-friendly than its current base.
Transport Scotland will move to HFD Group’s building at 177 Bothwell Street, in a 50,000 sq ft letting ahead of its 2024 lease expiry at current office Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road.
It marks a downsize from the agency’s current 60,000 sq ft headquarters, while the organisation also said it was attracted by the building’s 100% renewable energy supply.
177 Bothwell Street gets its energy from Blantyre Muir Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire, while it is also targeting an EPC rating of A and a BREEAM Excellent certification.
The 313,000 sq ft building also includes 395 cycle spaces as well as a number of electric car charging points.
Transport Scotland joins AECOM, the global infrastructure consulting firm, global property adviser CBRE and banking groups BNP Paribas and Virgin Money among 177 Bothwell Street’s occupiers.
Hugh Gillies, interim chief executive of Transport Scotland, said the site “has the environmental credentials needed to help us deliver our climate change ambitions and will further our work on reaching net zero”.
He added: “Alongside this, we have also carefully considered value for money and the changing work styles, supporting both office and home working, in our decision-making process. As a result, we have reduced our current space requirement needs and we will share this space with other public sector organisations.”
Stephen Lewis, managing director of HFD Group, said: “Transport will be a critical part of how we decarbonise Scotland’s economy – it seems fitting that we can announce Transport Scotland’s move to Glasgow’s most sustainable office building following COP26.
“177 Bothwell Street is about delivering everything that modern occupiers need: sustainability, flexibility to expand through our serviced offices, smart building technology, accessibility by a range of transport methods and digital connectivity.”
Avison Young advised Transport Scotland on the deal, while HFD was represented by 177 Bothwell Street’s joint agents Knight Frank and CBRE.
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