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According to a report from the Mayor of London, the UK’s capital has some of the oldest funconing building stock in the world and it’s expected that 80% will sll be in use by 2050. Whether in London or other Brish cies, pressure to restore these buildings to their former glory while fing them with modern construcon materials connues to grow, all while the coronavirus has transformed urban life.


W


ith this in mind, and with


conversations about


repurposing now-empty


office space in city centres continuing, retrofitting solutions may offer a way forward. Taking this into account, Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical at REHAU Building Solutions Building Solutions, explores the technology and its uses.


It is by no means an overstatement to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended city centre life. Where office workers once packed out buildings in busy commercial districts, government work-from-home orders have created a virtual ghost town. The shift into home working has resulted in increasing amounts of office space being left idle, and nearby shops closing due to lack of footfall. With businesses eyeing moving to smaller premises and adopting more flexible office attendance schedules, it is feasible that large swathes of Britain’s empty office space may never be used for its original purpose. These vacant buildings clearly represent an immediate financial concern for their owners and operators. But beyond this, they also present issues around sustainability, especially as the coronavirus reshapes how we structure our cities, and the UK’s long-standing housing crisis continues.


Retrofitting over demolition


With these twin issues in mind, calls to build apartments in place of deserted offices and shops have grown louder. With the UK possessing some of the world’s oldest building stock, plans to demolish older properties may be accelerated. However, this may not be a sustainable option, with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimating that 51 per cent of a residential property’s lifecycle carbon is emitted during


construction. This is a sizeable outlay, especially at a time when the construction industry is aiming to


INDUSTRY COMMENT Refurbishing and Repurposing


reduce emissions in line with the Government’s 2050 net zero targets. With sustainability rapidly progressing from a consideration to a necessity for the sector, and new-builds not being able to repay their carbon debt for decades, construction professionals may consider demolition inadvisable. In place of knocking down old buildings and raising new ones, retrofitting and repurposing existing space can be seen as a less expensive and more eco-conscious option. Indeed, the move towards turning commercial premises into housing is already underway, with thinktanks like the Social Market Foundation suggesting that turning collapsed retail businesses into residential space could create 800,000 new homes.


Acoustic Drainage


Crucially, the Government has taken action to make it easier to convert vacant buildings into housing, adopting changes detailed in the ‘Planning For The Future’


consultation paper published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in July. Yet it is not enough to simply have a more favourable legislative environment – effective, eco-friendly solutions are needed if we are to take steps to sustainably transform city centre buildings. From a logistical perspective, converting existing commercial buildings can be difficult, and comes with its own unique set of challenges. For example, a key aspect of repurposing office space into apartments is that a number of stud walls need to be raised in order to create individual flats. As a result, construction professionals are effectively creating acoustic insulation from scratch, while also contending with keeping walls as thin as possible to maximise space available.


These thin walls could present issues if high-performing acoustic drainage systems suitable to these circumstances are not selected. Specifically, sound and vibration resulting from incorrect bracketing, a lack of pipe insulation, and low- quality fittings at points of directional change could disturb occupants.


10 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2020


Alongside negatively affecting living conditions, these acoustic drainage systems may also not adhere to building regulations. Specifically, such solutions may not meet standards set by Approved Document E, 2015, of The Building Regulations. This important guidance sets standards for correctly soundproofing individual residences and covers the correct installation of drainage systems through separating floors or walls.


Ensuring compliance


Non-compliance could lead to failed inspections, which may, in turn, result in a complete reinstallation at considerable cost and reputational damage to the contractor. It may therefore be more practical for building professionals to consider high-quality systems and negate the risk of this occurring. Companies such as REHAU have developed pipework systems that provide excellent acoustic performance, while also offering fire safety in accordance with Approved Document B.


Specifically, REHAU’s acoustic soil and waste system RAUPIANO PLUS combines sound-absorbing multi- layer technology, elbow joints with thicker walls, and patented acoustic brackets in a system with 17 dB sound rating. As a result, vibrations or noise from the system do not disturb occupants. Alongside providing an acoustic separation between pipes and the building’s structure, RAUPIANO PLUS’s special fire collars also achieve a minimum fire resistance for up to 120 minutes, while providing an acoustic separation between pipes and the building’s structure.


Flexible plumbing


Another obstacle when transforming office space into homes is that, toilets aside, the former tend to lack a comprehensive plumbing network required in the latter. Consequently, extensive work may be needed to provide pipework suited to the demands of a residential building. Yet it might prove difficult to route piping into the existing office building structure, and spatial


concerns may be further exacerbated as stud walls are erected to designate different apartment areas. As a result, contractors may find it harder to install rigid pipework in these more awkward, confined spaces, resulting in a longer, more costly build time.


Allowing adaptability


Advances in polymer-based flexible piping solutions that can bend mean challenges associated with retrofitting these spaces can be negated. Systems such as REHAU’s MLCP pipe RAUTITAN stabil, for example, provide the adaptability required in a retrofitting conversion project, while being durable and remaining easy-to-install. Furthermore, unlike its lead or copper counterparts, RAUTITAN’s stagnation-free impermeable joints and smooth surface eliminate the risk of microbial contamination and prevent deposits forming. This makes the system a more hygienic choice for contractors, and ensures a level of futureproofing against evolving and stringent standards around drinking water that may affect metallic pipework solutions. In conclusion, increasing demand for housing, coupled with cratering demand for office space, means that the transformation of commercial properties into residential space will soon become commonplace in towns and cities. Yet in order for this to be carried out sustainably and in line with Government emissions targets, building service professionals should opt for retrofitting existing properties over demolition, and select high- performing solutions that make this a practical choice.


For more information about RAUTITAN, REHAU’s universal 10 bar pipework solution for drinking water and heating systems, visit www.rehau.uk/rautitan.


For more information on REHAU’s acoustic soil and waste system, RAUPIANO PLUS, please visit the website.


www.rehau.uk/raupiano Read the latest at: www.bsee.co.uk


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