17 Sept 2025 #1 Reuse first Sensibly Sustainable #1 : Reuse First Reuse isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t sparkle like innovation and it doesn’t grab headlines. But it’s quietly powerful. At One Portal Way, the reuse story starts with the building itself. What was once a standard office block is now being transformed into an Innovation Hub—not through demolition, but through a meanwhile retrofit. That decision alone is a massive act of sustainability. It means working with the structure that’s already there, extending its life and avoiding the carbon cost of starting from scratch. And that mindset has shaped every decision inside the building too. The desks and furniture left behind weren’t brand new—but they were solid, well-made, and full of potential. It would’ve been easy to start fresh. Order new. Throw the old in the skip and send it away. But we didn’t. Instead, we asked ourselves can we use what’s in front of us? And if not us (there were LOTS of chairs and desks), who else can use it? This approach takes time. Reuse isn’t the quick option. It means thinking about who might need something, reaching out, teeing it up, making yourself available. It means storing things carefully, coordinating repairs and trusting that the effort is worth it. You have to want it. Many of the desks that we already had are now being stored safely while the space is reimagined, and they’ll be repaired and adjusted with some help from the brilliant team at Sagal —ready to return in June 2026, refreshed and fit for purpose. Other things that were left behind in the building have found new homes. Planters and garden chairs have gone to our friends at Republic of Park Royal, on Minerva Road, with lots of other bits and pieces. A giant screen, once the centrepiece of a Microsoft Teams-enabled meeting room and now made unusable by technology obsolescence ( Charlie covered it in a post here ) , was carried (by hand!) by Johnny Brewin to the Foundry bar, where it now lives on in its second act. And, in a slightly more unexpected twist, one of our sinks has been claimed by the Imperial College facilities team, and it’s now going to be used in one of their kitchens. Sometimes reuse is practical. Sometimes it’s poetic. Sometimes it’s just a bit random. But always, it’s rooted in care. At Sciopolis, we believe sustainability starts with common sense. Not what’s trendy, not always the shiny new ball, but what’s necessary. And right now, what’s necessary is a shift from novelty to longevity. So next time you’re planning a space, a project ( or even a meal!) ask yourself: what can I reuse and repurpose? You might find the answer is already in front of you. Interested in updates like this? Follow us on LinkedIn and sign up to our Monthly Newsletter

Flexible event space for hire in North Acton: up to 80 seated or 200 for a reception, with a 136-inch screen and onsite catering. Members and external hire. Back to Sciopolis BASE ONE THE BUILDING LAB SPACE Floorplans & Technical Specs OFFICE SPACE MEETING SPACE EVENT SPACE CAFE HOT DESK FAQS AVAILABILITY COMMUNITY INCUBATOR INNOVATOR STORIES LOCATION NEWS & INSIGHTS CONTACT FLEXIBLE EVENT SPACE Whether you're running an investor day, a team workshop, a product launch or a training session, Base One has the space and the onsite support to make it happen. Open to members and external organisations alike, with onsite catering available throughout and a lovely garden. Contact us for a tailored quote based on your specific requirements. Talk to Us About Your Event Download: Event Space Brochure WHAT TYPE OF EVENT? LARGE EVENT SPACE Our flagship space opens into the Cafe and ground floor entrance for larger receptions. Up to 80 seated, configurable as 2 × 40-person rooms Room for up to 100-200 people for receptions, spilling into Cafe and reception area 136-inch LED screen Semi-private or open format, highly flexible Onsite catering available via our Cafe MEDIUM EVENT SPACE A more private, dedicated space for workshops, training and presentations. Capacity: 20-40 people Teams-native, with IT support Teaching or meeting configuration possible Onsite catering available Open to members and external hirers BOARD ROOM Why build your own, if you can rent ours? Capacity: 12 people Teams-native, with IT support Onsite catering available Open to members and external hirers, rates on request PRIVATE GARDEN Tucked behind the building, it's a genuinely rare amenity for inner London. Available for private hires, events, socials and BBQs Onsite catering available Open to members and external hirers, rates on request A place to decompress, take a call in the open air, eat lunch away from your desk. ONSITE CATERING OPTIONS Have an event coming up? All your socials and events can be catered for by our onsite Cafe Team Specialty coffees and pastries for your breakfast briefings An assortment of sandwiches and salads can be ordered for meetings Evening drinks and socials Summer BBQs in our garden Catering Options & Prices Base One Cafe HIRE RATES Large Event Space seats 80+ 93m² Hourly: n/a Half Day: £790 Full Day: £1350 Medium Event Space seats 40 53m² Hourly: £150 Half Day: £525 Full Day: £900 Board Room seats 12 27m² Hourly: £70 Half Day: £245 Full Day: £420 Garden space for 150+ 100m² Full Day: £790 GET A TAILORED QUOTE Enquire Now See Our Meeting Space NEED MORE DETAIL? Download Our Event Space Brochure Cookie Policy | Privacy Polic y All rights reserved. ©Sciopolis@BaseOne 2026 | Website designed by Jamin Design Home The Building Availability Community Location Latest Insights Contact Contact 020 8912 1010 info@sciopolis.co.uk Base One, 1 Portal Way, North Acton, London W3 6RS Follow us on LinkedIn >

2 Feb 2026 We are Hiring! General Manager Every project has a moment when it stops being an idea and becomes something real. For Base One , that moment is now. After years of visioning, designing and building (we are still building...) we’re getting ready to open our doors in June 2026, and to welcome the scientists and innovators who will turn this Innovation Hub into a proper community. Which is why this next step matters: we’re hiring our first team member. Our building needs its first human Base One in North Acton was never meant to be a neutral box with desks. It’s designed to be a workplace with warmth, character and purpose: a home for science-led teams who care about their environment as much as their work. To bring that to life, we need someone who understands that culture is created through hundreds of small, intentional decisions. Why this role matters Our General Manager will be the first person on the ground: • the face of the building • the steward of its standards • the person who sets the tone for the entire community • they'll shape how the building feels from the moment someone walks in This isn’t a behind‑the‑scenes role. It’s foundational. This hire marks our shift from construction to community: i t’s the moment the building starts to find its voice. If you know someone who could be that voice — someone who brings energy, care and pride to a place — we’d love to meet them. Full role description here: General Manager, Base One, North Acton

25 Mar 2025 UK Life Sciences miss out on £15bn to global rivals By Mark Sanders, Chairman of Sciopolis UK Life Sciences are missing out on billions to global rivals: isn’t it time to act before it’s too late? The SCI report yesterday highlighted a competitiveness gap costing us £15 billion annually. Despite being identified as a key sector for economic growth, the UK is falling behind international rivals. Key findings from the report were: - The UK has dropped from the second to eighth place in global life sciences FDI - Clinical trials initiated in the UK have decreased by 8% since 2017/18. - Employment in life sciences has remained flat in the UK while growing by 20% in Europe. - The UK’s share of global pharmaceutical exports has dropped from 5.4% in 2018 to 3.8% in 2023. These findings are not encouraging and even less so in the context of the ambition for the UK to be a Science Superpower. My perspective is that we need to not only focus on the desired outcomes, but also the process and infrastructure to get us there. One positive way to react to this crisis would be for the government to focus on physical infrastructure that can retain and support innovators in the UK. Innovation Hubs similar to what Imperial has built at White City Innovation District - well connected, with density of researchers and industry, supported by the local authority as well as by a top university- increase the chances for innovators to attract investment, develop their ideas and make it through their commercialisation journey We need to quickly refocus on the needs of innovators and build places for them to come together, and robust networks that help them to connect the dots. This, of course, is in addition to the other measures suggested by the report, i.e. tailored incentives, streamlined regulatory processes etc. We can celebrate the UK at the forefront of life sciences invention, but we need to better sustain innovation through the other tricky phases too- including scaling and manufacturing. The risk of not doing it may mean losing the battle to other ecosystems that can cater for the entire journey. Read the full article here

BASE ONE THE BUILDING LAB SPACE Floorplans & Technical Specs OFFICE SPACE MEETING SPACE EVENT SPACE CAFE HOT DESK FAQS LOCATION COMMUNITY INCUBATOR INNOVATOR STORIES AVAILABILITY NEWS & INSIGHTS CONTACT Back to Sciopolis Made in North Acton: 300 prosthetics a month. Meet Koalaa. Before you move into 1 Portal Way , it helps to know who your neighbours are, not just the people who will live beside you, but the people whose work is shaping what this area is becoming. One of them is Sanish Mistry, a designer at Koalaa, a company reinventing what prosthetics can be and who gets access to them. Koalaa builds soft upper limb prosthetics that can be fitted instantly, sent through the post, and produced at scale. Their mission is simple: make prosthetics accessible to anyone in the world who wants one, regardless of where they live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRhwIqh4XUo The story began at Imperial. Koalaa’s founder, Nate, was a mechanical engineering student when he met Alex Lewis, a quadruple amputee recovering from sepsis. Nate wanted to build something “Ironman style” for him, but the things Alex valued most turned out to be much simpler: a soft fabric sleeve he could slip into immediately and a tiny clip that let him draw again. From that moment, Koalaa grew prototype by prototype, first in Imperial’s Hackspace, then in shared labs in White City and finally into a full R&D and production space in North Acton. This is the journey Imperial imagines for its innovators: learn in South Kensington, experiment in White City and scale production in North Acton. Koalaa has lived that journey step by step. Why North Acton and Park Royal? Because it offers what most of London cannot: space to design, space to test, space to build. The team needed room for sewing machines, 3D printers, fabrication tools, storage and a growing workforce, all of which are impossible to assemble in central London. North Acton/Park Royal let them keep their R&D close to the university ecosystem in White City while giving them the flexibility to manufacture at real scale. Today, Koalaa designs and produces around 300 prosthetic products a month from this neighbourhood and ships them across the world. Their devices are used in Sierra Leone, Gaza, Jordan, Ukraine, the United States and the UK. They have now supported more than 1,500 users across six continents, all from a workshop a few minutes from where you will live. Why is this relevant? Because Koalaa’s story says something important about this neighbourhood. It is a place where making matters. If someone visits Koalaa in the morning asking for a custom adapter, the team can design it, 3D print it and have them testing it the same afternoon. North Acton allows that kind of immediacy, something incredibly rare in London. It is a place with a true maker ecosystem. If Koalaa needs a part, a tool or a specialist machine, the answer is usually that someone around the corner has it. They collaborate with neighbours like POW Workshops, share equipment, swap skills and solve problems face to face. It is a place where design, science, craft and social impact meet. Koalaa sits alongside artists, fabricators, engineers, food tech startups and makers. It is real, a working neighbourhood with energy, talent and curiosity. It is becoming a social, supportive community. There are local events, open studios, weekend workshops, new cafés and restaurants, and a growing culture of sharing skills and supporting one another. It is also incredibly well connected: with the Central Line, Overground, cycle routes and the coming Old Oak Common interchange, it is one of the easiest places in London to move between research, industry and global travel. So what would Sanish say to you directly? “Welcome to a neighbourhood where things get built quickly, collaboratively and with heart. We came to North Acton because it gave us the space to design, test and manufacture without leaving London. It connected us to makers, tools and a community we could not find anywhere else." If you're thinking of moving to the area, you're joining a place where people look out for each other, where ideas travel easily between buildings, and where problem-solving happens with your hands as much as your head. Step inside, get involved, and see what's possible when you work in a neighbourhood that builds things every day. Want to come and have a look at North Acton? Want to base yourself in the area? Join us for a Tour Koalaa Cookie Policy | Privacy Polic y All rights reserved. ©Sciopolis@BaseOne 2026 | Website designed by Jamin Design Home The Building Availability Community Location Latest Insights Contact Contact +44 020 8912 1010 info@sciopolis.co.uk Follow us on LinkedIn >

5 Nov 2025 Monthly Update Capital alone doesn’t scale Innovation: infrastructure does October brought fresh insights into the UK’s innovation landscape, with the Beauhurst x Parkwalk Advisors Spinout Report 2025 highlighting strong investor confidence in university-led innovation. We are delighted, if somewhat unsurprised, to see the investment market improving. However, capital alone doesn’t scale innovation. Without the right infrastructure, spinouts risk burning through funding on workspace fit-outs in disconnected locations, slowing progress instead of accelerating it. At Sciopolis, we’re working to create that infrastructure every day. Here’s how we did it this month: We deepened Lab supplier relationships at the Lab Innovations event in Birmingham, seeking collaborators, not just vendors, who understand that value goes beyond equipment.. Read more here We explored the future of labs at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s #MoreChemLabs workshop , asking what minimum viable labs look like, and who’s ready to build them. We joined the Innovate Cambridge Summit , where the message was: ideas need capital, but ecosystems need infrastructure. Cambridge is the second most invested innovation hotspot in the world and we need to spread its power to other clusters – like Manchester for example, which we visited this week We stood on the balcony at Old Oak Common , witnessing the scale of HS2 and its potential to supercharge connectivity for our future tenants at #OnePortalWay . We believe you don’t have to build everything everywhere: it’s smarter to connect the dots. We shared our reuse-first approach in our Sensibly Sustainable blog , showing how hyperlocal circularity can be embedded into innovation spaces: simple in theory, harder in practice We celebrated community-led placemaking at North Acton Square where artists and makers are already thriving, and scientists will soon join them at #OnePortalWay . We advanced the AI conversation , from Italian Tech Week to the Ealing AI Conference, exploring what AI infrastructure our tenants will need, which sectors are emerging (is robotics about to have its “ChatGPT moment ” ?) and how we should respond - with excitement, caution.. or both? One Portal Way: as we progress our new innovation hub in North Acton , we’re spending equal time on construction (things going well. Opening in June 2026!) and on building the network and service infrastructure for our tenants that can make a material difference to their scaling. Fancy popping in? If you ever fancy a tour or a nose around, we’re onsite every Tuesday, just get in touch. We have had fantastic feedback to our tours: once you see the scale of what is being built in the area and the innovation potential, the penny really drops. We look forward to seeing you there!

16 Jan 2026 Why ready-to-occupy labs are a game-changer for innovators This blog is part of the "Building Momentum" series by Charlie Mitchell, CEO of Sciopolis. Most scientists and innovators didn’t get into research thinking that they would need to become real estate experts. But for years, that’s exactly what they’ve had to do. Just imagine that you’ve got a breakthrough idea, a small team and a ticking clock. But instead of diving into your science or technology development, you’re stuck negotiating leases, hiring contractors, and figuring out how to build a lab or a space for your technical work. It’s nine to twelve months before you can even start. That’s not just frustrating, it’s a momentum killer. And the risks aren’t just delays. They can also be costly mistakes. One of the most promising companies we know had a simple plan: install a shower head in their lab to clean the benches. Straightforward, right? But somewhere along the way, the spec got lost in translation. The builders installed a full residential shower: tray, tiling, curtain- bang in the middle of the lab. The founder laughed about it later as it was a relatively small and low-cost mistake, but think about the disruption, the cost, and the aggro of fixing something that should have taken five minutes to get right. This kind of thing happens all the time. Founders are forced to make decisions about plumbing, lighting, HVAC, and lease terms, all while trying to build a company. It’s a distraction they can’t afford. That’s why we’re building ready-to-occupy lab and office space at Base One, North Acton, with our laboratories being suitable for a broad range of technical work including life sciences, chemistry, biology, cleantech, robotics, computing etc. Think of it like a hotel room for science. Walk in, plug in, and get going. No delays. No distractions. Just space that works from day one. We’ve seen brilliant founders waste time and money on fit-outs that don’t suit their needs. We’ve watched teams burn through runway before they’ve even run an experiment. We’ve seen scientists trying to decipher lease clauses when they should be designing experiments. So we’re flipping the model. Our spaces come fully equipped: flexible lab space , offices, meeting rooms, event spaces, and even a café ( check out Base One, North Acton ) But the building is only half the story. The other, and arguably more important, half is what happens inside it and how we support our tenants to be successful From branding to legal advice, from mentorship to marketing help, we’re building a service proposition that wraps around the space and helps companies grow. We’re not just offering square footage. We’re offering momentum. And for small science companies, that can make all the difference. Visit Base One, North Acton CL2 Labs Find our more about our Labs

25 Feb 2026 February Update: did you miss us? Sorry for the radio silence! We’ve been so wrapped up in delivery work since the beginning of the year that this update is arriving a little later than planned. Construction is shifting up a gear, our community is growing by the week and we’ve been neck‑deep in defining the details that help science and tech companies scale in reality , not in theory. Sciopolis in North Acton: from drawings to reality Steel is up. Floors are taking shape. Services are being installed. Fume extracts in place. Sciopolis at Base One in North Acton is now visibly transitioning from concept to construction. As we prepare to open in June 2026 with 24 labs and 29 office spaces ready to go, we’re inviting companies to engage early — this is the window where meaningful customisation is still possible. And with the last two months bringing almost nothing but rain and grey skies, we’ve channelled our energy into injecting colour into North Acton. From the exterior to the interiors, it’s becoming a vibrant, uplifting landmark. You truly won’t miss it. Our Tuesday Tours are giving founders and partners the chance to see progress first-hand. Recent visitors have included several potential tenants, Scottish Enterprise, Imperial College London’s Sustainability Team plus local friends and neighbours OPDC and Ealing Council, and we’re looking forward to welcoming many more. See our latest construction update (the next one will be coming very soon..) Reserve a spot on a TuesdayTour and take a look Designing (chem)labs with founders, not just for them We’ve continued contributing to the Royal Society of Chemistry’s #MoreChemLabs discussion, focusing on a question that matters for the sector: what actually defines a “chemistry lab”? Beyond supply shortages, ambiguity around baseline requirements can limit development. We’re exploring whether clearer definitions could enable to build more suitable space... or does it simply boil down to the availability of fume ducting and waste management? We’re inviting founders to shape this conversation. Understanding non-negotiables at move-in stage is critical to designing labs that support real growth rather than theoretical use cases. Chemistry Founders: tell us what you need here I nnovators sparking up the ecosystem The wider innovation community around us continues to gain visibility and scale: Solena Materials has moved into a Pilot facility at Imperial College London’s advanced manufacturing site (a mere 5 minute walk from 1 Portal Way), transitioning breakthrough research into scalable production of performance fibres. Multus has progressed from incubation through R&D into manufacturing its cultivated-meat medium in North Acton, with recent national press coverage highlighting their journey . These stories reflect the strength of the ecosystem we’re building within North Acton/Old Oak and reinforce our focus on delivering the next generation of lab and office space to support science-manufacturing innovators. Infrastructure beyond labs (aka coffee!) Innovation hubs are built on more than technical specification. January has also seen us focus on the everyday infrastructure that shapes community and productivity. We’ve been exploring onsite food provision, from kitchens and providers to menu concepts: because accessible, well-considered food options support talent attraction and retention. And yes, we’ve spent a surprising amount of time thinking about coffee. With an onsite café planned and in-building machines under review, we’re taking seriously the role informal interactions play in collaboration. Community often forms over small moments — and we intend to support them. TuesdayTour, anyone? Come have a look at what we are building If you’re planning lab or office space in London, or simply want to see progress up close, we’d be delighted to host you on a Tuesday Tour. Just drop us an email to arrange a visit .

9 Sept 2025 Scaling Stories: prioritising location for a successful growth strategy Choose a location with room to grow Hiring great people is crucial, especially at the early stages. You need adaptable, high-energy people who thrive in ambiguity. Being in a location that attracts that kind of talent gives you an edge. Keeping those people is as much about location as it is about everything else. You have to ask yourself, is there room to expand here so we don’t have to risk losing good people if we are forced to relocate? Design spaces that spark creativity The physical experience matters too. If you’re asking people to come into an office, it needs to be more than a desk in a room. You need spaces that encourage conversation, spark ideas and make people feel proud to work there. Ensure you create a dynamic environment that encourages networking It’s not just about your square footage; it’s about your surroundings. Being near other entrepreneurs creates an environment of informal support. You can swap insights without judgement. Being in a great location that offers opportunities for collaboration, means you share that scaling journey with other people you can trust and whose ideas you can bounce off. That also goes some way to combating the loneliness that comes with being a founder. Be aware of how your surroundings impact morale and performance Surrounding yourself with the best people and giving them the autonomy to thrive is key. If your office environment is cramped, uninspiring or isolating, you’re giving people reasons to stay at home. If it’s energising, connected and well-designed, you make it a place people want to be. Is it a place you are inspired to work from? And does the space encourage collaboration and innovation? If the answer to those is yes, you’re setting yourself up for better growth and maybe avoiding the day when you have to replace yourself sooner than you’d like. Are you a founder or innovator building a science or technology venture? Ready to find the right space to support your growth? Sciopolis has the space for you. 👉 Explore our locations here .

25 Apr 2025 What can we learn from Dubai’s Innovation Hub? We are curious about how other countries approach Innovation Hubs and are interested in learning what can be re-applied here in the UK. As part of our ongoing learning, we will share examples of Innovation Hubs from both the UK and around the world whenever we come across them. The Dubai Innovation Hub, for instance, is a masterclass in developing an ecosystem that integrates work and life seamlessly. Located in the DIFC, we visited it on an early morning this week (hence the lack of humans in the photos), and learned the following. Convenience is King: from pharmacies to hot yoga and dermatology, members have every amenity imaginable on their doorstep, making their place of work blend with lifestyle choices. This is the opposite to many other science parks and buildings, where there is often very little amenity, poor transport connectivity, and hence they can become empty straight after work, as people go elsewhere to find the things they need. It’s important to remember that innovators are “people” and that they sometimes need to buy paracetamol. Prioritisation of social spaces: fine dining from Sexy Fish, and many more, is very close to the work areas, allowing members to quickly and easily unwind with colleagues or entertain clients. Socialising is ingrained in the ‘work culture’ of Dubai, with the ecosystem catering to this need with a variety of dining spots – critically at differing price points. Again, this needs to be an initial consideration in the design of Innovation Hubs rather than an afterthought. The convenience of working from home means that workplaces need to work harder than ever at attracting people through the promise of high-quality face to face interactions, attractive workplace design and great amenity. Entrance experience is key: a standout welcome creates an atmosphere that inspires and sets the tone for what is to come. From architecture (not all Receptions were designed equal …. some are there to attract people in, others to keep people out), to the choice of materials, to art and sound (often underplayed), and even scent. Seeing real people working and having meetings, being able to peek through a glass at an event that is taking place, openness and transparency all contribute to creating a place you want to be in. This subconsciously increases lingering time, and in turn creates opportunities to bump into others. Sustainability that Performs: the building’s credentials are proudly marked throughout the building, including a 24% saving in energy consumption from usage of high efficiency equipment and building envelope performance. Thank you to the team at DFIC Innovation Hub for showing us around! Find out more about @DFIC: https://www.innovationhub.difc.ae Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates

5 Jan 2026 2026 is here! 5 things we look forward to As we step into a new year, we can’t help but feel a sense of momentum: 2025 was a year of strong foundations, 2026 will be the year those efforts take shape, quite literally. Here are five things we’re most looking forward to in the year ahead. 1. Opening our first hub (June 2026) This coming summer marks a major milestone for Sciopolis: the opening of our first innovation hub in London’s North Acton. More than just a workspace- with 24 labs, 29 offices, event space and a café -it’s a physical expression of our mission to create cost-effective places where innovators can thrive. We are so excited to see it come to life and can’t wait to welcome the businesses who will make it their home! 👉 If you’re a venture looking for lab and office space in London in the next six months, take a look and get in touch for a tour : Base One 2. Announcing our first tenants: who will they be? Later this year, we’ll reveal our first tenants: who will they be? A biotech improving human health, a cleantech driving net‑zero innovation, or a quantum or advanced materials company transforming industry? Our laboratories are designed to welcome a wide mix of scientific disciplines, so we expect innovators from across sectors and universities (not just Imperial) to be working side by side. One thing is certain: whoever steps in first will be ambitious, impact‑driven and ready to scale. For now, however, who's stepping into our building site at night is this foxy pioneer.. 👉 Venture looking for space? See what we offer to innovators across our hubs (foxes not part of the offering) 3. Introducing our strategic partners Over the past 18 months, we have been cultivating relationships with organisations that don’t just talk about innovation: they deliver it. In 2026, we will proudly unveil our strategic partners and ensure our members have access to the expertise, resources and connections they need to thrive. Our first question to everyone is simple: How will you help our tenants? What problem do you solve for them? These partnerships will be a cornerstone of our innovation network, supporting not only One Portal Way but also future Sciopolis hubs. 👉 If your organisation provides services that support innovators and you would like to join our network — or simply learn more about what’s involved — you can read more in our Service Partners Brochure here 4. Revealing our next location(s) Our first hub in North Acton is only the beginning. This year, we’ll also confirm other locations as part of our mission to create a network of hubs that connect strategic innovation clusters across the UK. By building a network of science‑led workspaces, we’ll accelerate collaboration, promote research exchanges, share insights and amplify impact. We believe it’s time to collaborate across geographies, universities and sectors. 👉 If you’re a landlord , local authority or university ready to activate your site for science we’d love to talk. Get in touch to explore partnership and activation opportunities 5. Embedding sensibly sustainable solutions In a challenging economic climate, we remain focused on reusing and on trialling practical, financially sustainable solutions , not passing the cost of greenwashing on to our tenants. In 2026, we’ll continue turning Sciopolis buildings into active showrooms: real‑world environments where innovators can test, showcase and refine their technologies. 👉 We’re always looking for cutting‑edge sustainability technologies to embed and showcase across our buildings: if this sounds like you get in touch and let’s explore how your innovation can come to life inside a Sciopolis hub. We wish you all a productive 2026!

18 Sept 2026 The Sensibly Sustainable Story Behind Base One Before Base One became North Acton's home for scaling science companies, it was a 165,000 sq ft office building, that had previously been the head office of Currys/Carphone Warehouse. Imperial College London owns the 4.6 acre site and has planning approval to redevelop it into roughly 2 million sq ft of new accommodation and commercial space. That redevelopment will take 10 to 15 years, delivered in phases. That left a gap and - of course- an opportunity. Rather than leave the existing buildings empty while the master plan caught up, Imperial appointed Sciopolis to develop and activate a science and innovation proposition on half the site through a 10 year meanwhile development. The other buildings will be demolished to make way for the first phase of the permanent scheme. The ones we retained needed to earn their place. The used car test Every renovation project asks the same question that we all (or at least most of us) ask ourselves when our car starts to get old: do I really need a new car, or can I get more life out of what I've already got? The economics for Base One told us we could only afford an all-in project cost of around £250 per sq ft, nowhere near enough for a full new-build lab fit-out. While the existing buildings were tired, they were structurally sound, low rise and had generous roof space that made them genuinely feasible to convert for science. Also, what Curry's/Carphone Warehouse left behind wasn't just serviceable, some of it was genuinely good: Vitra chairs, expensive designer light fittings, good desks- the kind of spec most fit-outs would happily buy new today. It's a familiar, slightly depressing pattern in this industry: perfectly good things end up in a skip simply because nobody has the time or the process to rehome them. We didn't want to add to that pile. So the plan was set: reuse quality items that still had years left in them and only replace what didn't. That is- of course- the logical case for reuse. But this was never just a commercial calculation. Our team has always believed you save the world one small step at a time, and this project was a chance to actually do something about that, instead of just talking about it. So we set off down that path. Skoda, not Ferrari The other reason for keeping the project cost-effective was that we wanted to drive the cost of these labs down and deliver a product our future tenants could afford. That belief also informed how we specced the labs. There is often a belief that everything a scientist does is highly bespoke, and needs highly specialised facilities (Ferrari). However, in reality the activities that most scaling science innovation companies do on a day-to-day basis are relatively straightforward bench work that can be done in relatively generic and standard facilities (Skoda). So instead of over-specifying every lab, we designed to a standard, cost effective spec that covers the vast majority of tenant needs ( six air changes an hour, lab extract, marmoleum flooring, access control, a lab sink, three phase power, a gas line ) and built in the flexibility to upgrade where a specific tenant genuinely needs more. The harder discipline is being willing to say no to a request when the building simply isn’t the right fit for it. Sensibly sustainable, not net zero For a building with a 10 year shelf life, in a location that isn’t yet an established science destination, choosing extreme sustainability targets that inevitably drive up capital and rental costs, just doesn’t make sense. So, we set a deliberately practical bar: EPC-B, BREEAM Very Good, and a hard focus on minimising embodied carbon rather than chasing operational carbon savings that a short-life meanwhile project would never earn back. In practice, that meant a simple rule for every decision on site: capitalise on anything of good quality that would work well within our design and would last the next 10 years (whether that's a wall, a door, a system, a tool or a chair) minimise demolition (and the waste that goes with it) and only buy new where there was a clear, justifiable need. Where we did buy new, we tried to make it count. Marmoleum flooring – which is a more sustainable version of linoleum, made mostly from linseed oil, wood flour and jute rather than synthetic vinyl, and looks absolutely stunning (thank you Elvina!) – went into every lab and corridor. We also trialled newer sustainable materials where it was practical to do so, including BioTwin hemp studs i n the reception office and a Carbon Cell sound insulation prototype. What stayed, and what had to go Stripped back to structure before the fit-out began. The structure and envelope turned out to be the big win. While there were a few holes in the roof, and a bit of blown double glazing, some straightforward fabric improvements were enough to get us to EPC-B without touching the building's bones. From there, the list of what we managed to keep and reuse was longer than most people expect: • The building's structure, envelope and several existing rooms and walls, designed around rather than ripped out • HVAC components including fan coil units, condensers, and one main AHU,plus CCTV and fire alarm systems were still fit for purpose • Around 95% of the existing lighting, the goods lift, emergency generator, speed gates and car park barriers • We initially planned to retain and reuse the existing network cabling infrastructure, however, ultimately, it proved impossible to retain it and so we replaced it with a more modern CAT6a cable • Desks, chairs, cupboards, kitchen equipment, monitors and meeting room screens were all cleaned and reused Furniture, fittings and fixings pulled back into use rather than sent to landfill. Not every gamble paid off Reuse isn't free of friction, and it's worth being honest about that. Some of the more sensitive, reused mechanical and electrical kit gave us real headaches during construction: emergency lighting battery packs and drivers failed and had to be replaced, the entrance speed gates were installed but didn't initially work, and one of the kitchen units turned out to be too noisy to keep. Additionally, there would be no warranties on reused equipment which meant we would have to expect and manage the risk of failures during operations - and occasionally having to have an awkward conversation with a contractor about whose job it was to sort out kit that wasn't performing. The speed gates are our favourite anecdote from the whole project, and the most honest illustration of the trade-off. Early on, a former Carphone Warehouse employee walked through reception, looked at them and said, “I remember these ones from 20 years ago.” and this is exactly the kind of heartwarming moment that makes reuse feel worthwhile. The honest update is that they’ve been problematic and we’re still working hard to fix them fully. For a building that's open to the public, security gates are very important. If they can't be made dependable, new ones will go in. That's reuse in practice: sometimes the story is better than the system, and you have to be willing to let the system lose. What made the difference with reused equipment was finding contractors willing to properly maintain and repair it, rather than simply writing it off as “old”, “out of date”, “impossible to buy spares for it” and ultimately “not my problem”. The genuinely unambiguous win was reusing the base build structure and envelope, accepting that it would never be optimally energy efficient, and designing around what was already there. That decision, more than any single piece of kit, is what kept the project affordable. Was it worth it? From our perspective, yes absolutely. We saved so much from the skip, built some solid relationships along the way, and instilled a culture of sensible reuse in our team that will pay off well beyond this one project. And the interest this story has generated suggests it's an approach others could pick up too. However, the one thing that everyone on a building tour eventually asks is whether this approach was actually cost effective. Here's the honest answer: we delivered 52,000 sq ft of renovated lab and office space for under £13 million all in, at roughly £250 per sq ft, only three weeks behind an eleven month build programme, and under budget. That may make it one of the most cost-effective lab spaces in central London not only from a build perspective, but also from a rental perspective. Finished lab space, reusing the building's structure and roof space. Compare that to the alternative: a more traditional approach would likely have added 50 to 100% to the project cost, through new cladding, new windows, wholesale replacement of systems and the generally higher cost of more sustainable materials. In our case where the building life is limited by future development, this reuse strategy represents a very good solution, however this isn’t necessarily a solution for every project. Based on what we have learned, it is clear that reusing an old building instead of scrapping it and starting again, much like continuing to drive an old car rather than buying a new one, will likely deliver a more sustainable outcome from an embodied carbon perspective. However, the key trade-off is balancing this embodied carbon win against the fact that this isn't the most operationally energy efficient building and hence over the longer term the cumulative additional operational carbon will eventually outweigh the embodied carbon gain. What we'd tell anyone trying this themselves • Go for it. Make the call upfront and stick to it. When the team and contractors know exactly where you stand, they can make good decisions on site even when you're not there • Stick to the plan to reuse as much as possible, and be ruthless about it • Be prepared to say no when ‘nice to haves’ creep back in • Flex when a genuine issue emerges, rather than defending a decision for its own sake • Being both developer and operator kept the end user's needs in every design decision • Thoughtful design beats expensive materials: a coat of paint goes a long way! • ...and so long as you have the right people on your team (and externally) who get the challenge of "saving the planet without giving up on aesthetics", they will find it very stimulating! Ultimately none of this was about doing things on the cheap, however it was always imperative to work within the cost plan so that we ended up with a commercially viable product. The building is thoughtful and well considered from end to end, with a deliberate sprinkling of higher-spec items placed to elevate everything around them, rather than an even smear of budget spread thinly across the board. Sustainability was never meant to be the trade-off for a joyless building. One thing is for sure: no one's ever walked out of Base One calling it boring. Discover Base One here