When you manage a commercial building in the City of London, you need to understand what sits on your doorstep. 100 Liverpool Street is one of the UK's most significant adaptive reuse projects: a 1980s office block transformed into a net-zero carbon, BREEAM Outstanding landmark. For facility managers and commercial landlords in the area, it offers a masterclass in how to retrofit ageing assets for modern performance without demolition.

This isn't just architectural theatre. It's engineering reality: retaining 95% of the original steel frame, adding four new floors, and hitting net-zero operational carbon. If you're responsible for keeping a City building running, this project shows what's possible when you prioritise lifecycle management over short-term fixes.

100 Liverpool Street is a mixed-use building at the gateway to Liverpool Street Station, originally completed in 1984 by Arup Associates. Hopkins Architects led a £350 million refurbishment (2017–2020) that retained the structural frame, added 50,000 sq m of space, and achieved net-zero carbon in operation. It now houses offices, retail, and restaurants, and was shortlisted for the 2022 RIBA Stirling Prize.

What You Need to Know About 100 Liverpool Street

A Quick History: From 1980s Origins to Modern Gateway

The original building opened in 1984, designed by Arup Associates as a speculative office development. By the mid-2010s, it was outdated: poor energy performance, inflexible floorplates, and a tired façade. British Land and GIC (the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund) acquired the site and commissioned Hopkins Architects to deliver a comprehensive retrofit rather than demolition. The project completed in 2020, transforming the asset into a modern, sustainable workspace.

Key Location Details and Transport Links

Positioned directly above Liverpool Street Station, the building benefits from exceptional connectivity: Elizabeth line, Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines, plus National Rail services. The address is EC2M 7QD. For facility managers, this location means high footfall, 24/7 operational demands, and the need for resilient building services that can handle constant occupancy.

Mixed-Use Spaces: Offices, Retail, and Dining

The building now spans 520,000 sq ft across offices, ground-floor retail, and restaurants. The upper floors house commercial tenants; the lower levels connect directly to the station concourse. This mixed-use profile creates complex HVAC zoning, fire safety protocols, and maintenance scheduling challenges that demand proactive facilities management.

The Redevelopment Story: Hopkins Architects' Masterclass in Reuse

Original Design by Arup Associates and the 2020 Refurbishment

Arup Associates' 1984 design featured a steel frame with precast concrete cladding. Hopkins Architects stripped the building back to its skeleton, retaining 95% of the structural steelwork. They replaced the façade with high-performance glazing and terracotta, reconfigured cores, and added four new floors by exploiting the original frame's over-engineering. This approach avoided 14,500 tonnes of embodied carbon compared with demolition and rebuild.

Structural Innovations: Retaining Steel Frames and Adding Floors

The engineering team (Arup again, this time as structural consultant) found the original frame could support additional loads. They inserted new steel columns within existing cores and extended the structure upwards. This required forensic structural surveys, temporary works design, and phased construction to maintain stability. For facility managers, the lesson is clear: older buildings often have hidden capacity if you invest in proper assessment.

Team Behind the Transformation

Hopkins Architects led the design, with Arup as structural and MEP engineer, and Sir Robert McAlpine as main contractor. The project won the 2021 Structural Steel Design Award and was shortlisted for the 2022 RIBA Stirling Prize, validating the retrofit-first approach.

Sustainability at the Core: Net-Zero Carbon and BREEAM Outstanding

How They Achieved Net-Zero: Reuse, Efficiency, and Innovation

The building achieved net-zero operational carbon through three strategies. First, retaining 95% of the structure avoided substantial embodied carbon from new materials. Second, the design team installed high-efficiency HVAC systems with heat recovery, LED lighting, and smart controls to minimise energy demand. Third, they connected to a district heating network and purchased renewable electricity. The glazing system uses triple-glazed units with solar-control coatings to reduce cooling loads in summer whilst maximising natural light. For facility managers, this demonstrates that retrofit can outperform new-build on sustainability metrics if you commit to proper engineering.

Awards and Recognition: RIBA Stirling Shortlist and Steel Awards

The project collected the 2021 Structural Steel Design Award and a RIBA Stirling Prize shortlist in 2022. It also secured BREEAM Outstanding, the highest environmental rating available. These aren't vanity awards; they confirm third-party validation of design, construction quality, and operational performance. If you manage a building in central London, these benchmarks set the standard your tenants and regulators now expect.

Lessons for Commercial Buildings Like Yours

The takeaway for facility managers is straightforward: ageing commercial stock isn't obsolete; it's an opportunity. Structural surveys can reveal hidden capacity. Upgrading building services to modern efficiency standards cuts operational costs and carbon. Planned interventions avoid the disruption and expense of total demolition. If your building was constructed in the 1980s or 1990s, commission a condition survey before assuming replacement is the only option.

Facility Management Realities for High-Profile Sites Like 100 Liverpool Street

Maintaining Complex HVAC and Building Services in a Busy Environment

A mixed-use building above a major transport hub operates under constant pressure. HVAC systems must handle variable occupancy, from early-morning commuters to late-night diners. Air quality, temperature control, and humidity management require continuous monitoring and adjustment. The building services at 100 Liverpool Street include heat recovery ventilation, chilled beams, and smart BMS integration. When you manage a similar site, reactive maintenance isn't an option. A single HVAC failure during peak occupancy can trigger tenant complaints, productivity losses, and reputational damage. Your strategy must be proactive, not reactive.

SFG20 Compliance and Planned Preventative Maintenance Essentials

SFG20 defines the frequencies and tasks for maintaining commercial building services. For a building of this scale, that means quarterly inspections of air handling units, monthly checks on BMS alarms, and annual deep servicing of chillers and boilers. Compliance isn't paperwork theatre; it protects occupants, preserves warranties, and ensures insurers honour claims. If your current provider delivers inconsistent documentation or skips scheduled tasks, you're legally exposed and financially at risk.

Why Proactive Partnering Beats Reactive Fixes

Waiting for breakdowns costs more than preventing them. Emergency call-outs charge premium rates, parts take longer to source, and downtime disrupts business. A proactive Planned Preventative Maintenance programme identifies wear before failure, schedules interventions during low-occupancy periods, and extends equipment life. At M&E Maintenance Solutions Limited, we've seen facility managers reduce annual maintenance spend by 30% by shifting from reactive to planned servicing. The building stays operational, tenants stay satisfied, and you sleep better.

Keep Your City Building Running: Partner with Proven Experts

Audit Your Current Setup: Five Red Flags to Spot

Ask yourself these questions about your current facilities management arrangement:

• Do you receive compliance certificates within 24 hours of every service visit?
• Does the same engineer attend your site, or do you see a different face each time?
• Are your energy bills increasing despite no change in occupancy?
• Is more than 70% of your maintenance budget spent on emergency repairs?
• Can your provider explain SFG20 task frequencies for your specific equipment?

If you answered no to any of these, your current partner is failing you.

Our Approach: 24/7 Availability and Internal Technical Vetting

We built M&E Maintenance Solutions Limited to be big enough to cope with complex commercial demands, but small enough to care about the details that keep your building running. Every engineer is Gas Safe and REFCOM registered. We operate 24/7/365, because breakdowns don't work 9 to 5. We maintain digital compliance records accessible in real time. Most importantly, we treat your building like our own, because we know uptime equals revenue.

Next Steps for Liverpool Street Area Managers

If you manage commercial property in the City, book a site survey with our team. We'll audit your current systems, identify compliance gaps, and deliver a costed PPM schedule tailored to your asset. Don't wait for the breakdown. Explore our HVAC services to ensure your building's climate control runs smoothly all year round.

Final Takeaways for City Building Managers

The transformation of 100 Liverpool Street proves that retrofit delivers better outcomes than demolition when you commit to proper engineering. Retaining the structural frame saved 14,500 tonnes of embodied carbon, added 50,000 sq m of usable space, and achieved net-zero operational performance. For facility managers across London, this project sets the benchmark for how to extend asset life whilst meeting modern sustainability and performance standards.

The building's success rests on three pillars: structural assessment that revealed hidden capacity, integrated MEP design that prioritised efficiency, and ongoing maintenance that keeps complex systems running reliably. If you manage a 1980s or 1990s commercial building, commission a condition survey before assuming replacement is your only path forward. Many older frames were over-engineered to historic codes and can support additional loads with targeted strengthening.

What This Means for Your Maintenance Strategy

High-performance buildings demand high-performance maintenance. The HVAC systems at 100 Liverpool Street include heat recovery, chilled beams, and smart BMS controls. These technologies reduce energy consumption but require specialist knowledge to maintain. A general contractor without REFCOM accreditation or SFG20 training will miss calibration drift, refrigerant leaks, and control logic errors that degrade performance over time.

Your Planned Preventative Maintenance schedule must match the sophistication of your equipment. Quarterly inspections of air handling units, monthly BMS alarm reviews, and annual deep servicing of chillers aren't optional extras. They're the minimum standard for protecting your investment and maintaining compliance. If your current provider treats PPM as a box-ticking exercise, you're paying for a service you're not receiving. Consider our dedicated commercial air conditioning maintenance to keep your systems compliant and efficient.

Future-Proofing City Assets

Regulatory pressure on commercial buildings will intensify. The Energy Performance Certificate minimum standard rises to B by 2030. Net-zero mandates will tighten. Tenant expectations around air quality, thermal comfort, and sustainability credentials are already shifting. Buildings that can't demonstrate proactive lifecycle management will face higher vacancy rates and lower capital values.

The lesson from 100 Liverpool Street is simple: invest in your existing asset before it becomes obsolete. Upgrade building services to modern efficiency standards. Document compliance rigorously. Partner with specialists who understand the engineering reality behind the corporate speak. The alternative is reactive crisis management, premium emergency rates, and tenant churn.

Your Next Action

Book a site survey with the M&E Maintenance Solutions Limited team. We'll walk your building, audit your current maintenance records, and identify gaps in compliance and efficiency. You'll receive a costed PPM schedule tailored to your specific equipment, not a generic template. We operate across Birmingham, the West Midlands, and the wider UK, with 24/7/365 availability because breakdowns don't respect office hours.

Contact our helpdesk today. Protect your building before winter demand exposes weaknesses in your systems. Proactive maintenance costs less than reactive repairs, and peace of mind is priceless.