One Angel Square is an office building in Manchester, England. Construction work began in 2010 and was completed in February 2013. The landmark building is the head office of the Co-operative Group. Standing 72.5 metres (237.8 feet) tall, the building forms the centrepiece of the new £800 million NOMA development in the Angel Meadows area of Manchester city centre. The building cost at least £105 million to construct and was sold on leaseback terms in 2013 for £142 million. One Angel Square is one of the most sustainable large buildings in Europe and is built to a BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating. It is powered by a biodiesel cogeneration plant using rapeseed oil to provide electricity and heat. The structure makes use of natural resources, maximising passive solar gain for heat and using natural ventilation through its double-skin facade, adiabatic cooling, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling and waste heat recycling. The building's distinctive form has been compared to a sliced egg and a ship. Its design was announced by architects 3DReid in May 2009 and construction began in July 2010 with a projected completion date in March 2013. In December 2012, the scheme surpassed its pan-European sustainability aims and achieved a world-record BREEAM score of 95.32%. It is also an energy-plus building, producing surplus energy and zero carbon emissions. The building has received numerous awards for its striking aesthetic and sustainability aims. History Background The Co-operative Group announced plans to move from its headquarters on Miller Street and Corporation Street to a new site in the Greater Manchester area in 2008. From 2008 to 2011, the group grew strongly according to CEO Peter Marks, membership doubled to six million and revenue and profits also doubled. Takeovers of Somerfield and the Britainnia Building Society fuelled impetus for new head offices to accommodate the growth. In December 2008, the group announced it would remain in Manchester city centre and would regenerate land opposite its Miller Street base. The new building is close to Angel Meadow, the site of a 19th-century slum once described by Friedrich Engels as "hell on earth". Archaeologists conducted a survey in 2010, which continued into 2012. The CIS Tower and the Co-operative Bank's Balloon Street headquarters are unaffected by the development. New Century Hall, home to Co-operative Food, the Dantzic, Hanover, Redfern and Federation Buildings will be vacated and renovated for let. In 2011 the Co-operative announced the NOMA project, north