In April 2004 Burngreave New Deal for Communities (BNDfC) appointed Bond Bryan for the re-modelling of Sorby House, a 1960s office building in the heart of Burngreave, Sheffield. The client wanted an iconic building which would exemplify in built form what they were endeavouring to create in the Burngreave district ie, a transformation of the run-down multi-cultural neighbourhood into a thriving, safe and desirable place to live and work. The existing building was in a very poor state, suffering from over-heating in summer and excess heating costs in winter. Whilst it would have been simple to demolish and rebuild, a more environmentally sustainable option was chosen to utilise the existing frame, albeit with considerable construction issues, and minimise the new build elements, thereby reducing material movements and waste. A decision was taken at an early date to incorporate both environmentally and economically sustainable elements to ensure the building did not consume large quantities of energy, and to enable it to be self-financing after the BNDfC 10-year programme had been completed. To achieve this, a biomass boiler provides the heating using locally sourced wood-chips and the ventilation strategy is provided by a natural passive system. All lighting is low energy on PIR sensors. External and internal finishes are long-lasting with minimal maintenance requirements. The building is also fully data wired throughout. The project provides the community with a transformational building which is acting as a catalyst to change peoples perceptions of the Burngreave area of Sheffield, and provide the community with good quality flexible spaces for various community based and commercial uses.