A successful and expanding company can no longer fit into its office building. It’s been there for a number of years and gradually, as it has grown, the meeting rooms have been turned into extra desk spaces, cars are regularly double-parked in the car park, there’s a daily lunchtime scramble for the microwave and, worst of all, there aren’t enough loos to go round! It’s definitely time to move on.
The company has impressive green credentials, and the management team is keen to ensure that the next office is as environmentally-friendly as possible, but it also has to be impressive and inspiring to reflect corporate ambitions. Should the team look at moving to a spanking new build office or renovated premises? Which is the more sustainable option?
There’s no doubt that developers and contractors building new commercial premises have raised their game enormously with regard to environmental concerns. Modern materials and greener construction techniques facilitate the reduction of carbon emissions and increase energy efficiency. New builds designed to the latest environmental standards can be very effective in terms of long-term sustainability. However, a new build will inevitably produce what is described as ‘embodied’ carbon emissions. These come from the energy involved in extracting, manufacturing, transporting and assembling materials used, such as bricks and mortar, concrete, steel, plastic and glass.
In general, the sympathetic renovation of an existing building is more eco-friendly than building a new one from scratch. A sustainable renovation will aim to minimise, as far as possible, any negative impacts of the process by careful selection of materials, ensuring the building is fitted for renewable energy use.
Harnessing energy-saving technology is another aspect, for example in lighting. Although the changeover to energy-efficient LED lighting continues to gather momentum, lighting uses in the region of 1736 TWh of all global electricity, so specifying ethical lighting manufacturers prioritises eco-friendly technology and the use of renewable materials. Green solutions for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning such as geothermal energy and solar power can be utilised.
In a typical renovation, the substructure, walls, floors and roof will stay in place, and it’s the construction of these which produces around 60% of embodied carbon emissions. Renovations will reuse and repurpose an existing structure, which reduces waste, and will often involve the salvage and repurposing of existing materials. They can also include plans for sustainable interiors, such as exploiting natural light wherever possible and the inclusion of greenery which can help filter the air of pollutants and release oxygen, benefitting the occupants.
Of course, there will always be some buildings which are unsuitable for renovation. Issues with structural soundness, more than the average amount of wear and tear, outdated social requirements or the fact that the building is no longer suitable for its surroundings could all lead to the decision to replace rather than renovate. But with companies’ environmental credentials being increasingly scrutinised by customers and suppliers, as well as their current and potential workforce, a sustainable renovation is likely to be the way that our cramped company from the beginning of this blog would choose to go.
Sustainability in commercial renovations and fit outs is second nature to the team here at Oakwhite, and we take our responsibility to our planet seriously. We pride ourselves on completing projects on time and on budget and we haven’t failed yet!
If you’re interested in an environmentally-friendly approach to your renovation or fit-out project, contact us via email, or give us a call on 01403 259225. Our friendly and helpful team members would be delighted to chat over green options and ideas with you.