Partner Article

Rivergreen Centre welcomes TGA Consulting Engineers

North East engineering firm TGA Consulting Engineers has celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a move to new, state of the art premises at the Rivergreen Centre in Durham.

TGA employs 26 engineering staff at its North East base and is currently working on design projects at Durham Cathedral, Durham University Business School and the Hitachi Rail Plant in Newton Aycliffe. They have recently completed work on the £26.0m Institute of Transplantation development at the Freeman Hospital site in Newcastle.

The decision to move its operation to Rivergreen was strongly influenced by the Centre’s parkland location, natural environmental credentials and business ethos.

TGA has seen an increase in staff satisfaction and wellbeing, and the company attributes this to the peaceful and serene working environment as well as the sense of community among other businesses located at the Rivergreen Centre.

Mike Waugh, director at TGA Consulting Engineers, said: “We decided to relocate the business because we wanted modern offices that are more than just a place for our employees to come to work. Creating the right environment results in happier, more productive staff and that is exactly what we have found since moving to the Rivergreen Centre.

“Rivergreen is a perfect fit for us because it complements our line of work. We work with teams that design modern and inspiring buildings and now we occupy one as well. Our clients have commented on our new workplace when they visit us. The impression that they get when they arrive was reason behind our decision to base ourselves here. We wanted to be somewhere with a wow factor.

The recent Measuring National Well-being: Life in the UK 2012report found that just one in ten people visit the outdoors away from home at least once a week. It also revealed that just over two-thirds (68%) of people who visited at least once per week were between the ages of 25 and 64. The report shows that the North East’s average levels of wellbeing are significantly below the UK average.

Mike Waugh believes that merging the natural environment with workplaces has benefitted TGA. He added: “Many of our design engineers work very long hours and dull, uninspiring offices are not conducive to healthy and productive working. Now, our team can walk into Durham, go for a stroll in the woodland area surrounding the building and enjoy the outdoors. Others use the exercise facilities and take advantage of the evening yoga classes.

“Our staff describe the building as serene. There are peaceful offices to work in and, by contrast, communal areas such as the café have a real hubbub about them. It all helps the creative thinking process which is what we’re all about.”

As a greenfield site bordered by green-belt land and in a prominent position clearly visible from the centre of Durham City, the Rivergreen Centre was designed to bring the countryside to the edge of the building so that it barely breaks the natural landscape. Throughout the grounds there are pathways and seats so people can take a break from work, enjoy a quiet lunch and genuinely get up close and personal to nature.

Peter Candler, managing director at the Rivergreen Centre in Aykley Heads, Durham said: “I’m delighted that TGA decided to locate at the Rivergreen Centre and are already benefitting from being here. Rivergreen was designed and built to bring the natural surroundings and working environment together. It is all about creating conditions for a better working environment and social interaction between our tenants.

“Offices have been designed to make the best use of natural daylight. The maximum distance between a desk and an openable window is 6.5 metres, ensuring everyone is within easy reach of fresh air as well as has views of woodland, fields or wild flower meadows. As there is no air-conditioning, there is no danger of the ‘shivering in summer, sweltering in winter’ office syndrome.”

When the Office National Statistics (ONS) conducted a national debate on well-being in 2011, 73 per cent of respondents mentioned the environment, including local green space and nature, as an important factor in well-being, only behind health, family and friends, and job security.

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