And Why It Matters in How We Design—From City Buildings to Family Homes
Over the past few years, I’ve found myself using the term ESG more often. At first, it sounded like a financial acronym, something for the boardroom, not the creative studio. But as we’ve taken on more workplace and retrofit briefs alongside our residential work, it’s become increasingly clear that ESG is not just about investment—it’s about intent.
So, what is ESG? And how does it show up in architecture, especially for a studio like ours that sits somewhere between the domestic and the commercial?
ESG: From Finance to Fabric
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It was coined in the financial world to help investors evaluate the long-term resilience and ethical performance of their portfolios. The idea was simple: businesses, and the buildings they occupy, shouldn’t just generate returns; they should tread lightly on the planet, support people, and be run responsibly.
That concept has since crossed into how buildings are assessed. Developers, landlords and tenants increasingly look to ESG frameworks to guide decision-making, whether they’re targeting BREEAM ratings, prioritising flexible floorplates, or ensuring natural light and wellbeing in a retrofit office.
We were recently invited to look at a City of London project that brought this home. The brief wasn’t just about floorplans and finishes. It was about rethinking the building’s performance—how it breathes, how it supports the people within it, and how it aligns with a future where tenants are asking smarter questions about space. ESG, in this sense, becomes a lens. It challenges us to see buildings not only as assets, but as environments with long-term responsibilities.
ESG by Design: Our Take at MW Architects
We never set out to “do ESG.” But our approach has always been about care, longevity, and wellbeing. ESG just gives shared language to what we already believe.
Environmental
We talk a lot in the studio about building once. That means designing homes and workspaces that last; materially, emotionally, and operationally. We favour breathable construction, high thermal mass, and materials that age well. Sometimes that means timber. Other times it means stone, masonry, or concrete—chosen not just for appearance, but for whole-life value.
We’re not dogmatic about sustainability labels, but we do design for performance. We want our buildings to feel good in winter and summer. To use less energy, not because it’s fashionable, but because it makes sense.
Social
This is where our residential roots really come through. We always start with how people live—how light moves through a space, how materials feel underfoot, how one room leads to another. That same thinking applies when we’re designing workplaces. What does it feel like to arrive? Is there somewhere to pause, connect, or retreat?
We design for wellness and joy. For homes that make life easier. For workplaces that don’t feel like a grind. That’s social value.
Governance
This is the part of ESG people mention least—but it’s one of the most important. For us, it’s about transparency. It’s about being clear on scope and fee, but also about ethical sourcing, inclusive decision-making, and honest advice.
We hold ourselves to a professional code, of course, but our real benchmark is internal. Do we listen? Do we stand by our work? Do we act in a way we’re proud of?
ESG in Action: From Commercial to Personal
When we explore ESG in a workplace setting, it often starts with strategy: how a layout supports flexibility, how to introduce biophilic elements, or how the building fabric can reduce carbon over time. But when we apply the same principles to a private home, the result is often quieter—and more intimate.
Take a project like Mr & Mrs Smith. It’s not an “eco home” in the traditional sense. But it’s a masterclass in how architecture can elevate everyday life. Set over four floors, it combines spatial drama with extraordinary precision. Every corner, every staircase, every junction was considered—balancing grandeur with usability. This is luxury, yes—but also deeply personal design, crafted for a family to grow into.
Then there’s Villa Verdant—our leafy, layered home in north London. Here, material texture, air flow, and light quality were as important as insulation values or glazing ratios. It’s not about chasing perfection; it’s about making decisions that last—environmentally, emotionally, and financially.
Final Thoughts: More Than a Metric
At MW Architects, ESG isn’t something we bolt on. It’s the thread running through how we think, how we work, and what we value. From our “build once” ethos to our joy in craft and connection, we see ESG not as a metric, but as a mindset.
Whether we’re sketching ideas for a retrofit office or designing a new-build family home, the principles stay the same:
Care. Creativity. Longevity. Value.
Because in the end, a good building should do more than perform.
It should endure.