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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
UK 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 - and
- 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 in the UK 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 .
To download - 'Low Carbon Refurbishment of Buildings
- Click
Here
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