Greengage was appointed by Workspace to develop a nature strategy aimed at delivering measurable biodiversity and environmental net gain, along with associated health and wellbeing benefits.
Workspace is a leading provider of flexible workspaces across London and the South East. In total it owns more than 5 million square feet of space across 67 properties, providing bases for 4,000 businesses.
Greengage’s work included the following elements:
Baselining and opportunity assessment: we ran a remote assessment covering 50 assets to determine the biodiversity baseline for Workspace. Five assets were included in an uplift analysis to understand and gauge the kind of green infrastructure (GI) interventions that may be possible when scaled to an entire portfolio. After the initial modelling, we examined what biodiversity and ecosystem service enhancements were possible at each asset. The results of the opportunity assessment informed the quantitative targets set in the nature strategy.
Workshops: The results from the baselining and opportunity analyses were then presented to site managers in a series of workshops. These workshops were held to consult site managers and the Workspace sustainability team about the suitability of potential interventions and to discuss what targets would be most appropriate for the business.
Biodiversity design guide: Having used the baseline and opportunity assessment process to identify what targets would be reasonable to set, a bespoke biodiversity design guide was developed. The guide covers the full range of relevant GI interventions for Workspace sites. This includes guidance on management and maintenance best practice, horticultural advice, habitat creation, beneficial planting specifications (native, drought resistant, shade tolerant, nectar rich etc), considering different site scenarios (shading, size, roof space, flood risk etc.) and incorporation of habitat features.
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) gap analysis: Greengage supported Workspace to prepare for reporting in line with the TNFD recommendations through completing a TNFD gap analysis and workshop to set targets within the nature strategy that covered supply chain related actions.
The result was an ambitious nature strategy which commits Workspace to capitalising on the opportunities arising from the construction and operation of assets and enhancing ecological value for the benefit of nature and people.
Testimonial
“Our partnership with Greengage has been instrumental in developing Workspace’s first Nature and Biodiversity Strategy and equipped us with clear guidance to help us achieve our goals.
By baselining our portfolio’s current contribution to local biodiversity and engaging with key internal and external stakeholders, Greengage supported us in setting measurable targets that reflect the unique characteristics of our buildings and surrounding spaces.”
Ariane Ephraim – Senior Sustainability Manager, Workspace
