Europe’s largest living wall, also known as Eden- developed by The English Cities Fund (ECF) has reached practical completion.

The 115,000 sq ft 12-storey office building boasts the highest NABERS UK Design Reviewed Target Rating for a new-build development in the UK to date.

It has been designed against the UK Green Building Councils 2030 – 2035 standards, with the capability to run on 100% renewable electricity.

Stuart Fraser, lead architect at Make, the architects’ firm behind Eden, says: “We’ve exceeded the UK Green Buildings Council’s 2030–2050 office base-build energy performance target, achieving 41kWh/m2/yr – a high target when compared with the NABERS targets of 55kWh/m2/yr for 5.5 stars and 35kWh/m2/yr for 6 stars – and we’re set to achieve BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Platinum.”

The £36m project was developed atop a former derelict surface car park in New Bailey, Salford and boasts a fabric-first approach to reduce its carbon emissions.

The living wall, designed in collaboration with ANS Global will be maintained through an irrigation system that uses rainwater harvested from the building’s roof.

The project has been highlighted as an example of how ECF, a development company established by Muse, Homes England, and Legal and General can transform urban areas.