Legal & General opens new Welsh HQ

About Calon

Office fit-out partners

• Developer: Rightacres
• Contractor: ISG
• Architect: HMA
• Interior designer: Cast
• Engineering: McCann
• Project management: Mcleod + Aitken
• Social value: AtkinsRealis
• Technology: Kinley

Key sustainability features

• Removed all gas from the building using air source heat pumps and other technology, so we don’t have to rely on gas and can buy our electricity from renewable producers.
• Selected local and recycled materials throughout the building.
• Put solar panels on the rooftop so we can generate some of our own carbon free power.
• Zoned the building to control energy consumption so lighting and air conditioning will only be used when needed
• Implemented clever controls of lighting and blinds to maximise use of sunlight.
• Encouraged everyone to travel to the office in a sustainable way, made easier by the office’s proximity to Cardiff’s Central Station and Transport for Wales’ new bus station and excellent facilities for cyclists
• Embedded sensors into the building to monitor environmental performance once the office is up and running.

Key wellbeing features

• WELL Platinum is the highest WELL rating
• WELL covers all aspects of wellbeing within the building, focusing on 7 key concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind
• L&G’s office is targeting WELL Platinum by:
• optimising air quality & remove contaminants: allowing fresh air into the building
• improving water quality & ease of access: monitoring water for contaminants and water points located for ease of access
• encouraging healthy eating habits: giving employees healthy choices in the café
• maximising natural lighting & control lighting to improve energy, mood & productivity: circadian lighting controlling colours to match tones of natural lights
• encouraging physical activity: interlocking stair cases to encourage walking between floors and wellbeing suite under auditorium
• creating a comfortable indoor environment including acoustics and temperature: temperature controlled based on occupancy, materials selected for acoustic performance
• supporting mental health through relaxation spaces: garden and wellbeing lounges and outdoor rooftop terrace

Technology features

• Sensors embedded throughout the building to:
• Monitor energy performance & automate actions (e.g. lights) to optimise energy usage
• Monitor CO2 and air quality to ensure we maintain an excellent working environment
• Monitor space usage – so that we can understand, address & adapt how people are using the office spaces in real-time
• Tech-enabled for hybrid working:
• All formal and informal meeting rooms enabled for hybrid meetings
• Large auditorium with state-of-the-art AV/screen to be used for large-scale hybrid events
• Plug and play throughout the building so people can easily work from anywhere in the office

L&G’s Cardiff investment

• L&G has invested over £1 billion in Cardiff, making it the city’s largest investor.
• Legal & General’s Cardiff investments include:
  • £285 million – 1,033 Build to Rent apartments at Central Quay (715 apartments) & Central Square (318 apartments), Legal & General’s first BTR scheme in the city which opens in March 2023 and forms part of the Central Square regeneration
  • £140 million – The Interchange – 120,000 sq ft of Grade A office space at Central Square
  • £117 million – Government Hub delivering 270,000 sq ft of space for more than 4,000 civil servants
  • £45 million – Parkgate Hotel – 170-bedrooms located next to the Principality Stadium, in partnership with the Welsh Rugby Union
  • £200 million in financing to support Wales & Borders franchise to deliver a new cutting-edge train fleet.

Established in 1836, Legal & General is one of the UK's leading financial services groups and a major global investor, with £1.2 trillion in total assets under management¹ of which 40% is international. We have a unique and highly synergistic business model, which continues to drive strong returns. Legal & General provides powerful asset origination and management capabilities directly to clients, which also underpin our leading retirement and protection solutions. We are a leading international player in Pension Risk Transfer, in UK and US life insurance, and in UK workplace pensions and retirement income. Our purpose is to improve the lives of our customers and create value for our shareholders. Through inclusive capitalism, we are investing in long-term assets, such as real estate and infrastructure, that can help build a better society for the future.

¹Data as at 31 December 2023.