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According to the Carbon Trust’s new guide, Low Carbon Refurbishment of Buildings, a low carbon refurbishment does not require significant increases in complexity, or adoption of high risk or unproven technologies. For most projects, the key to success is a corporate commitment to cutting emissions, coupled with effective project management to ensure this is translated into action at every stage, from initial design through to handover and operation.
Non-domestic buildings account for nearly a fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions. Given that 60 per cent of the buildings that will be standing in 2050 have already been built, low-carbon refurbishment of existing buildings will be essential to hit government carbon reduction targets.
Nearly all building refurbishments offer opportunities to reduce carbon emissions, but conventional projects often miss the opportunities available, leading to unintentional and unnecessary increases in energy use and associated emissions.
The guide is based on the Carbon Trust’s experience of working with non-domestic refurbishment projects as part of its Low Carbon Building Accelerator. The programme is following ten typical projects through the entire design and refurbishment process as well as monitoring building performance afterwards.
Some of the key recommendations in the guide include:
- Secure commitment from the senior team by agreeing low carbon objectives as part of the project vision statement
- Establish the current carbon footprint of the building and set carbon reduction targets for the refurbishment
- Consult building occupants and key stakeholders at the beginning of the process and ensure project buy-in from the design team and site workers
- Appoint a carbon champion at an early stage of the project to maintain a focus on energy use implications of design decisions
- Integrate low carbon design into the general building design and don’t treat it as an add-on
- Use a whole life cost analysis to evaluate low carbon systems and components
- Ensure high quality commissioning for energy efficiency, allocating a specific budget for the purpose
Dr Mark Williamson, Director of Innovations at the Carbon Trust, said:
“Building refurbishment offers significant opportunities to cut carbon, but without corporate commitment and a focus on carbon at every stage of the project, the potential benefits can leak away. Given tightening legislation on energy performance and increasing energy prices, organisations need to put carbon reduction at the heart of their refurbishment plans.”
The John Lewis Partnership has been working with the Carbon Trust’s Low Carbon Building Accelerator on the refurbishment of its flagship John Lewis department store on Oxford Street in London. Bill Wright, Corporate Energy and Environment Manager at the John Lewis Partnership, said:
“Energy efficiency is a major consideration in everything we do in John Lewis and Waitrose. With high level corporate commitment to a low carbon design, the Oxford Street store refurbishment has focused on carbon throughout. We are now taking many of the learnings from Oxford Street and applying them across our business. We are also happy to share best practice with others – including our competitors.”
Marks and Spencer has also been working with the Low Carbon Building Accelerator on a refurbishment of its Pantheon store in London. Mervyn Bowden, Energy Manager, said:
“We have been pleased to support the Carbon Trust on this initiative, particularly as it follows the project right through to subsequent operation and use of the building and provides tangible learnings which can be applied to future developments.”
The new guide is aimed at anyone who wants to ensure that a planned refurbishment delivers carbon savings. It is structured around a roadmap for the refurbishment process, identifying the key intervention points during the preparation, design, construction and use phases.
There are numerous drivers for cutting a building’s carbon emissions, including Energy Performance Certificates which are due to take full effect on 1 October 2008 for most non-domestic buildings. Low carbon refurbishments can also help to improve a building’s internal environment leading to higher worker productivity. Other benefits include adding value to the building, increasing rental values or occupancy rates, and reducing risks associated with future changes in regulation.
The Carbon Trust also provides Low Carbon Design Advice to help organisations identify the carbon savings in new and renovation projects, offering a range of consultancy advice throughout all building project stages. To apply for Design Advice call the Customer Centre on 0800 085 2005, or download the application form.
A copy of the report, Low Carbon Refurbishment of Buildings, can be accessed here. -ENDS-
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