The Channel Islands' largest, greenest office

Ogier House, 44 Esplanade, sets a new Island benchmark in excellence and innovation

Ogier, one of the world’s leading providers of offshore legal and fiduciary services, will move into Ogier House, the Channel Islands’ largest and greenest single occupancy office in September 2010. Ogier House represents the Partners’ commitment to the business and is key to the long-term business strategy. This office move has its genesis in decisions taken in 2007 on how to sustain and accommodate the growth that had been generated by a very healthy business as well as providing headroom for the future. The pivotal decision of opting for a purpose built premise to house the planned growth was the result of careful deliberation, market assessment and also a recognition that the aspirations of providing a world class service to clients would be easier to achieve if the building were designed from a blank canvas.

The development site at 44 Esplanade, St Helier was identified as providing the ideal location for Ogier’s new office. The partnership between Ogier, the developer JCN and local building firm Camerons as the main contractor has resulted in an outstanding building and a new landmark for St Helier.

Innovative construction

In October 2007, local building firm, Camerons, was appointed by developer JCN and Ogier, as main contractor for the exclusive Ogier House development. The result of this landmark project isJersey’s greenest building to date, conforming to a national BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) standard – the first project in the Channel Islands ever to comply with such stringent environmental benchmarks. The entire project team can now celebrate the completion of the building which is not only a stunning piece of design, which is complementary to its surroundings, it is an environmentally sound structure offering the highest levels of office accommodation. With a floor plate large enough to support 700 staff over six floors, containing open plan work areas, state of the art meeting rooms and individual offices, a fully serviced cafe and roof terrace and one of the most sophisticated building management systems (BMS) available, the final product is one which client and contractor are very proud of.

Local architects, Naish Waddington, were commissioned in 2005 to design a beautiful building that would be both fitting in terms of its location whilst boasting the lowest carbon footprint achievable. ‘We initially gained planning consent for a five-storey office development. However, Ogier were looking for a new headquarters premises on the Esplanade and had a requirement for a much larger building at approximately 100,000sq ft, which we could achieve only if we had permission for an additional storey. We had to work closely with the Planning Department and Ogier fit out team to ensure that our emerging design was tailored to Ogier’s precise requirements. This became our new brief. We had a constructive dialogue and ultimate support from the Planning Minister and his Department, and engaged with his initiative to raise the standards of architectural design in Jersey, and have embraced the Percent for Art concept.’

In preparation for the build, which commenced February 2008, Camerons sent Ogier House project manager, Phil Horsley, to the UK to become a qualified BREEAM assessor. This training enabled Mr Horsley to manage the project to the exacting standards of BREEAM, calculating at every step, the environmental impact of both the construction process and the final product. He managed all aspects of the build, including water and fuel consumption, as well as waste management, to meet the BREEAM target rating of ‘very good’.

Before the demolition of the original building at 44 Esplanade commenced, Camerons’ project team, led by Mr Horsley, worked with the designs to re-sequence the initial build of the shell, reducing the construction time by several months. These complicated changes to the schedule meant that the team had to adopt innovative construction techniques, saving both time and money while also reducing the environmental impact of the build.

The stunning façade of Ogier House, 44 Esplanade is possibly the most technical aspect of the structure. ‘We employed a full time manager for the façade alone,’ said Camerons’ Mr Horsley. ‘The façade was incredibly complex as it required the team to initially curtain wall the entire south facing elevation before attaching the concrete columns which are fundamental to the building’s striking appearance. These columns, however, had to penetrate through the weather-proof glass façade - an extremely difficult operation as we were working to tolerances of two and three mm. There were only two suppliers in Europe, one of which was UK based, which were able to supply the corrosion protection we required for this. To carry out this complex work we required a sub-contractor with a set of very specific skills and were happy to be able to work with our sister company, Granite Le Pelley.’

The location also proved a challenge for the construction team as there are only inches separating the buildings either side of Ogier House. It was essential that the teams worked to schedule to ensure ‘just in time delivery’ of materials could be managed effectively. ‘Although at first glance the site looks as though it is easily accessible and in close proximity to potential storage areas, it was in fact like working on a site in London, of which I have experience! We worked very closely with Transport and Technical Services to ensure deliveries and any temporary road closures caused as little disruption to the public as possible,’ added Mr Horsley.

The 55-week fit out commenced in June 2009. ‘The three nine-metre by nine-metre atria, which run through every floor to the roof of the building, were the biggest technical challenge for the fit out team. The result is an abundance of natural light flooding throughout the office accommodation and a very effective air conditioning system that is regulated by a state of the art building management system. The atria are also a focal point for staff and visitors - they really are very impressive,’ added Camerons’ fit out project manager, Grant Pendreigh.

The three glass atria provide outlets for the air conditioning system, which then recycles the air in units positioned on the roof, contributing to the building’s green credentials. On some floors of the building the glass walls of the atria form elevations of meeting rooms and on others the atria are left open, with balustrades surrounding the structure. The construction of these atria posed a unique challenge for the team and was unlike any other project ever undertaken by Camerons.

There is a wealth of innovative technology deployed around Ogier House. The building management system controls lighting, temperature and ventilation and has motion sensors which allow lights to be switched on and off automatically, an incredible feat in a building at approximately 100,000 sq feet and fundamentally open plan in design. Drop down projectors, remote controlled blinds and electronic booking remotes at the entrance to each meeting room are all installed and ready for use. The fire alarm is also based on a complex system with more than 2,000 cause and effect stimulators – an open plan area of this size needs an advanced system in order to manage potential situations effectively. In addition to safety, usability and staff comfort is high on the agenda with over 70 meeting rooms, training room facilities with foldaway partitions, bike racks, showers and a fully fitted staff cafe which opens onto a wonderful roof terrace boasting unrivalled views over St Helier and St Aubin’s Bay

‘The building is finished with the highest quality fixtures. The captivating atria provide focal points which both staff and clients of Ogier will enjoy. The open plan arrangement, which is interspersed with glass encased office and break out spaces, looks chic as the furniture has been carefully selected to look both modern and high quality while also remaining functional. The bespoke staircase which winds its way from the ground floor reception to the first floor seating area is also a great achievement,’ added Mr Pendreigh.

Architect Sean Hatcher of ORMS, who was commissioned by Ogier to develop the interior of the building, agrees with Mr Pendreigh that the building has a special quality to it. ’Ogier House, 44 Esplanade represents a new benchmark for commercial workplace in St Helier. Using nationally recognised best practice principals set out by the British Council of Offices (BCO) and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) with their BREEAM accreditation system for sustainability, the building represents excellence in both design and construction.’

‘ORMS are delighted to have been involved with the project from inception to completion. Initially working closely with local agents Barnes Daniels Partnership, ORMS helped re-work a developer’s 'spec' offer, into a first class bespoke building suitable for one of the worlds leading off shore service providers,’ he concluded.

The enormity of this project did provide Camerons, as main contractor, with challenges, but all of these were overcome with effective communication between all parties involved, including Ogier, JCN, ORMS, Naish Waddington, Tillyards, Gardiner & Theobold, VZDZ and Hartigans – at one point during the fit out there were 130 people working on site. ‘The project brief for the fit out did change as we went along but we were able to absorb these alterations into the schedule to ensure that we finished the project on time. These changes have ensured that the client is extremely happy with the finished building which is of most importance to us,’ concluded Mr Pendreigh.

Simon Neale of JCN concluded ‘Ogier House, 44 Esplanade is a landmark building for Jersey. Not only is it the biggest office occupied by one organisation, it is also the first to achieve a BREEAM environmental standard. I am delighted with the quality of the finish, as are our clients, Ogier.’

Putting people first

The design process started with employee and client requirements and these requirements have been at the heart of the design of Ogier House. Ensuring that the new building provides a top quality working environment and an outstanding experience for clients has been the overriding goal of the project. ‘All Jersey based employees have been invited to look round Ogier House on a regular basis and as a result they are full of enthusiasm about the new office before they even move in,’ said Matthew Thompson, Managing Partner – Jersey Legal. ‘The natural light that floods into the building and the facilities that we have will make Ogier the best place to work and by bringing all our specialists together under one roof we will provide our clients with a seamless, integrated service.’

The move into Ogier House is being welcomed by employees as an opportunity to ‘do things differently’ said Helen Bunbury, Group Chief Operating Officer. ‘Whether it’s the company wide embracing of our E-filing and storage initiatives, the desire to get to work in a greener way or the fact that Ogier House will have less impact on the environment there is a real desire to challenge the way in which we do things. It’s not just the green initiatives though, as bringing everybody together from three separate offices in St Helier is going to have a profound impact on the way in which we interact on a day to day basis.’

Ogier clients will benefit from a higher level of service as the teams work more closely, in a more integrated and more efficient way. Having all the specialists together is an eagerly awaited benefit by staff. They recognise the importance of face-to-face communication and the benefits of being in one prestigious office building. Employees already have a sense of pride in working for one of the largest and best offshore legal and fiduciary service providers and as the new building has taken shape have taken great pleasure in talking to friends and family about their new working location and its staff facilities.

The rooftop Terrace Café on the fifth floor of Ogier House will be a key vehicle for providing informal networking and will offer the 500+ people that work in the building breakfast, lunch and snacks. ‘The Terrace Café is one of the most exciting parts of Ogier House,’ commented Philip Norman, Group Director, Ogier Fiduciary Services. ‘The Ogier Partners set a vision for the best facilities possible and wanted staff to be involved in making this happen. A selection panel was formed and suppliers had to respond to our specific requirements for quality and professionalism and ability to offer a great range of breakfasts, hot meals, sandwiches, salads, snacks, goodies and drinks. Our café, run for us by Delish, will be a vibrant, world class but functional environment, where employees can relax, take a break from work and meet colleagues, or quickly and easily pick up refreshments to go. Not only will our café beat any high street café for comfort, style and convenience, but it will also offer our employees better value for money.’

With a state of the art client suite and a top quality working environment staff at Ogier are looking forward to their new location.

Considerate construction

Camerons takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and is proud to have achieved Considerate Constructor status for Ogier House. Applications to the Considerate Constructor National Site Awards are assessed against an eight point criteria and must score highly in each to be recognised – considerate, environment, cleanliness, good neighbour, respectful, safe, responsible and accountable – all of which are very different measures to those usually applied to traditional construction awards schemes.

The local building contractor also takes pride in its role in the community and earlier this year, the site manager, Steve McCreanney, visited a class of children from Year Five at Rouge Bouillion Primary School to assist with a construction project which the youngsters were undertaking. As the class showed such an interest in construction and the health and safety aspect of the industry, Mr McCreanney invited the group to Ogier House, 44 Esplanade for a site visit. Following the visit, the youngsters all designed a safety on site poster, with the winning design enlarged and mounted on a site board to remind all workers and visitors about the importance of health and safety.

More than just a law firm

September 2010 represents a major milestone in the history of Ogier as the firm will move into Ogier House, the Channel Islands’ largest and greenest single occupancy office. Ogier was created in 1995 through a merger of two Jersey firms, Le Masurier Giffard & Poch with Ogier & Le Cornu. Le Masurier Giffard & Poch began life in 1867 and Ogier & Le Cornu came into being in 1922, however it is since the merger of the two firms that the business has become a major player.

Ogier has transformed from the original law firm as in the last 15 years Ogier has become one of the world’s leading providers of offshore legal and fiduciary services. The firm now acts for two-thirds of the world’s top 50 global banks, is engaged by three quarters of the top 50 global law firms and advises 40 out of the top 100 hedge funds. Ogier has a presence in nine jurisdictions around the world (Bahrain, BVI, Cayman, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland, Jersey, London and Tokyo) and the network of offices covers all time zones and key financial markets.

Chief Executive, Nick Kershaw said ‘our clients vary according to the practice area but typically fall into the broad categories of global financial institutions and banks, multi national corporations who are FTSE 250 or Dow Jones firms and ultra high net worth individuals or family businesses. We also have excellent relationships with a significant number of leading intermediaries who are typically on shore law firms and accounting firms who refer work to both our law firm and our fiduciary services business. With more than 800 staff worldwide and over 500 staff based in Jersey we need to make sure that we have office facilities that are second to none and enhance the way in which we work with our clients.’ The firm are confident in the knowledge that Ogier House will enable their future growth plans and will also be an outstanding and cost effective workspace.

Building green

Ogier House, 44 Esplanade is being celebrated as Jersey’s greenest building. Adopting innovative construction practices during the build and installing state of the art technology, which helps to manage the building’s carbon footprint long-term, has been a priority for the project team.

Marc Burton, managing director, Camerons, commented, ‘The building industry is tough on the environment, consuming lots of energy and creating a considerable amount of waste and road transport. As the industry’s first Eco Active Business Level 3 accredited company, we were the ideal partners to help Ogier and JCN to realise what is now Jersey’s most environmentally sympathetic building. Ogier House has been built using modern, low-impact techniques on a brownfield site, which is essentially recycled land.’

The building has been designed and built to very tight tolerances, so the impact of emissions on the environment will be minimal. It is also an intelligent building, capable of automatically adjusting levels of heating and lighting, as areas are occupied and vacated.

Achieving the BREEAM standard has been critical for the project team and signals the start of a new era in development, with the environment taking precedence over a great many other considerations. Ogier House demonstrates this new philosophy, bringing together three like-minded organisations, Camerons, JCN and Ogier, to create a technically and environmentally advanced structure that puts Jersey at the forefront of this green development revolution.

Jersey Evening Post - Friday 6th August 2010

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