Wates Construction business has achieved a landmark milestone in sustainable building design and performance, with 11 and 12 Wellington Place in Leeds becoming the first new building in the UK to secure a certified NABERS UK Five Star Energy Rating.

The five-star accreditation represents the highest level of performance within the NABERS framework, marking the development as an exemplar of energy efficiency and environmental standards.

NABERS UK ratings benchmark buildings' energy consumption against real-world performance data from offices across the country. While 11 and 12 Wellington Place were the first offices outside London to secure a Design Reviewed Target Rating of Five Stars before construction, this has now been substantiated by a full year of operational data, proving the development has met its ambitious sustainability goals.

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The buildings, which also hold a BREEAM Outstanding certification, are powered entirely by electricity, supported by a renewable energy tariff and on-site generation. Roof-mounted solar panels covering 700m² generate the equivalent annual electricity use of more than 42 homes, with the buildings forecast to save 407 tonnes of CO2 each year.

In addition, the site incorporates advanced smart building technologies, including integrated lighting and access control systems designed to cut energy demand. A real-time energy management platform, accessible via a mobile app, gives tenants direct control over heating and lighting while providing live feedback on operational energy use.

Administered by CIBSE Certification, NABERS UK is fast emerging as the gold standard for measuring the operational efficiency of offices across the UK.