GBP Real Estate
Case Studies
The Harrison (formerly Curtain House) is a Grade II listed Victorian warehouse in Shoreditch, where poor baseline energy performance and heritage constraints presented both a challenge and an opportunity.
In the context of Hackney’s Climate Action Plan where retrofit is a priority for achieving a 45% emissions reduction by 2030,1 the Fund identified deep retrofit and high levels of building material retention as the most effective route to decarbonisation. The investment thesis focused on transforming a carbon‑intensive asset into a highly efficient office while preserving historic character, improving internal layouts and future‑proofing energy systems. This approach aligned environmental objectives with market demand for distinctive, low‑carbon workspace.
EPC upgraded from E to A
BREEAM Excellent
Upfront embodied carbon = 341 kg CO2e/m2 (see footnote 3)
London Borough of Hackney Council (2023). Climate Action Plan 2023–2030: Summary report
Post construction upfront embodied carbon = 341kg CO2e/m2. This exceeds UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard targets for retrofit works – whole building & Shell and core + Cat A.
Post-construction upfront embodied carbon result including 5% contingency. (Modules A1-5)
Early and sustained engagement with designers, engineers and contractors translated ambition into delivery. Working collaboratively with the project team, the Fund challenged the energy strategy, embedding fabric upgrades, electrified heat‑pump heating, mixed‑mode ventilation, solar PV and rainwater harvesting. Close collaboration during construction drove material optimisation and retention, avoiding emissions associated with demolition and supporting circular‑economy outcomes.
The scheme upgraded the EPC rating from E to A and achieved BREEAM Excellent. The asset’s upfront embodied carbon exceeds ambitious targets set for retrofits by the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (UKNZCBS).2 The asset demonstrates how retrofit can materially reduce both operational and embodied carbon.
Young people who have four or more employer encounters while at school are 86% less likely to end up not in employment, education, or training. They also earn more money as adults once they are in the workforce. Each engagement with the Land Collective delivered engagements with industry professionals and potential future employers.
Through 2 group site visits to The Harrison and 5 days of careers and employability sessions at Aviva’s nearby Hoxton Campus, the girls interacted with over 5 potential future employers. Furthermore, 2 students successfully completed work placements with the project team during the construction of the Harrison after attending a careers session.
In 2021, Aviva Investors bought The Harrison (formerly Curtain House) in London, situated in an area of high socioeconomic deprivation, for refurbishment. The area’s unemployment is significantly higher than the regional and national averages, specifically for young people ages 15-25.
We partnered with The Land Collective, a youth-focused organisation that partners with employers to diversify the talent pipeline in the built environment sector.
Through a partnership with our construction supply chain, we invested 151 skilled volunteer hours and specialist consultant resources to deliver employment, skills and training opportunities for 2 annual cohorts of The Land Collective’s programme Black Girls in Property.
