SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMEN
W
hen discussing
sustainability in relation to construction projects, the first issue to address is environmental issues.
However, social and economic effects are also major factors when it comes to ensuring a new or refurbished project meets the necessary endurance test.
THE BACKGROUND When property services specialist
Styles&Wood (S&W) embarked on its annual CR initiative, ‘The Big Challenge,’ in which it transformed a run-down community centre, it kept these points front of mind throughout the entire decision-making process. The Higginshaw Community Project, in Oldham, Manchester, was a derelict, disused former church hall, which was in need of serious restoration to bring it back into full use for the local community. Socio-economic aspects are
particularly important when addressing the goals of a community project such as this, as the long-term factors play a vital role in almost every area of the project. Cost also increasingly becomes front of mind for
26| SUSTAINABLE FM | MARCH 2011
Hamish Newling, architect at Styles&Wood, discusses the importance of sustainable refurbishment.
charity projects in particular, so it’s vital to point out that the long term solution must be measured against the cost incurred. Sustainability doesn’t have to mean high expense; the cost should be put into perspective over the longevity of the restoration work. Throughout this six week project, materials were chosen carefully to ensure they would be sustainable and save money in the long run by standing the test of time.
This community project was much more about the long-term, socio- economic factors than the shorter-term environmental decisions – even though some of the latter have played a significant part in the project.
There is also a sense of the business giving something back to the area where it first launched, as the founders of S&W initially set up their joinery business less than a mile from the site.
THE BEGINNING
The social sustainability of a building will be judged not only on whether it satisfies the uses required of it today, but to ascertain whether it will be able to accommodate the changing needs of its users. At best, a socially sustainable building will give back to its immediate community, facilitating social development and providing a service above and beyond the considerations at the forefront of the project.
The economic sustainability of a project is far more easily defined. General considerations are whether the building can be run within budgets – especially with the escalation of energy costs – and if the building’s design enables the owners to maximise the revenue opportunities, instigating and maintaining a self- sustaining cash-flow cycle. The Higginshaw Community Project is a registered charity and a not-for-profit
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