SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT Freddie Steele
actually be better suited to the needs of certain organisations.
• In the time it takes to secure land, carry out a site inspection and develop architectural plans an entire building renovation can be carried out. When time is a factor, refurbishment can be the best option. There is a consequent environmental benefit in that refurbishment can be viewed as a way of extending the economic life of a building from between five and twenty or more years depending on the building and the organisation’s objectives and longer term ambitions to move into purpose built
accommodation. This will affect the cost of the refurbishment of course, but may also be constrained by building regulations and environmental standards.
• A renovation offers a better option for those organisations which would prefer their culture to evolve rather than transform. There are numerous examples of companies
who have tried to impose a new culture on their organisation under the guise of a new build only to encounter cultural problems that can drag out for years. If your organisation is strongly associated with a particular building, a move will have implications for the company’s image.
• Location factors such as proximity to customers, suppliers, transport infrastructure, parking, ease of access to the site and so on. While new offices may also help to attract and retain staff, a refurbishment in an existing location may help you to retain staff who might otherwise feel uncomfortable with a move or who may be unable to travel and so reduce the wider social and environmental impact of commuting and travel. .
• There may well be other environmental considerations or a need for the organisation to stay in a particular location to maintain an association with an
area and provide employment for ethical and CSR reasons.
• As well as planning issues, there may also be fiscal incentives from government for the firm to remain in a particular site. Recent legislation on issues such as the environment, disabled access and the management of asbestos may have a bearing on decisions. “There’s always an issue of cost,”
claims Paul Edward. “But as well as the basic economic cost, we should remember that one of the most immediate appeals of refurbishment is sustainability. Retrofitting a building while making improvements to its performance is likely to have far less of an impact on the environment than a new build. Growing awareness of energy consumption has led to far more investment in buildings and building performance to meet the relevant standards and a firm’s own environmental goals. There are ethical reasons for this of course, but it’s also plain good business practice and facilities managers can play an important role in achieving these returns.”
www.claremontgi.com
SUSTAINABLE FM | FEBRUARY 2011
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