When Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) decided to build new headquarters on the outskirts of Inverness, it knew that the premises had to reflect the ethos of the organisation. The building needed to be fitting for an organisation that looks after the natural heritage of Scotland. Sheila Currie, a greening officer for SNH,

believes they achieved it in Great Glen House, the sustainable new build that has been the headquarters since June 2006.

The glass, which is a predominant feature of the premises' design, makes a statement about SNH, she says. “It's all about openness and transparency in both senses of those words.There is a lot of daylight and we have lovely views over the hills. It gives us a connection with the outside world, which reminds us that we're concerned with the natural environment. But it also says something about the way we work with people.”

Because the building is open-plan - not even senior management has offices - everyone benefits from the view. The location means that staff are able to enjoy the surroundings during their breaks. “We have a bit of forest near us so that's really good for the running and cycling groups,” Currie says.

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An office need not be a new build nestling in nature to be environmentally friendly, as Lend Lease, a property group, has demonstrated with its European headquarters in London (pictured). It refurbished an existing building to become carbon-neutral. Daniel Labbad, the group's UK chief executive, says: “You're adding to your carbon footprint by demolishing one building and starting again. Instead, we focused on sustainability as an aspiration rather than seeing it as something that needs to be an outcome in everything. We ensured that the team charged with the job was thinking about it at every decision in the design and construction process.”

Features of 19 Hanover Square, where Lend Lease has been since October 2006, include infrared technology on all floors to ensure that lighting is used only where it is needed. Even the office chairs are made from 42 per cent recycled materials and are 96 per cent recyclable at the end of their life. And there is a system that monitors hourly energy consumption, allowing the company to minimise inefficiency. When the inefficiencies are identified, performance improvement targets are put in place. “It's one thing to design a building and say its sustainable and another to make sure it performs,” Labbad says.

EC Harris, a consultancy, has also used an existing London building for its inter-national headquarters. Its offices, ECHQ,

form part of the regeneration around King's Cross station. The firm has added a modern extension to ensure that the building meets its needs. By adapting a Victorian ironworks, EC Harris has spliced together the traditional and modern.

John Williams, board executive for people at the company, says that this is particularly appropriate because the company celebrates its centenary in 2011. “One of the things we're trying to say is that we've been around for 100 years so there's substance to us, but we're also modern and forward-thinking,” he says.

EC Harris has opted for an HQ that feels like a hotel. It employs a concierge to open the door and greet staff as they enter the five-storey building. And it runs a bar in the company restaurant on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings so people can enjoy a drink after work.

In spite of being in Central London, the company has increased the number of staff who cycle to work from 30 to 100 by providing bike stores in the building's basement. The move to 34 York Way in December 2006 also enabled it to reorganise how its 700 employees work. Before, the company was divided into disciplines such as quantity surveying, project management and management consultancy. Now staff work in sector teams, such as hotels or private residential. “The open-plan design [puts] the right people together and [encourages] a certain way of working. We have used the building as a catalyst for bringing about change,” Williams says.

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