Sustainability continues to be a major value driving factor when it comes to sustainable Kent and London office design and refurbishment.
Improvements Need To Come From Existing Buildings
According to the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) “Building The Case For Net Zero: Retrofitting Office Buildings” report “The UK’s existing non-domestic building stock is currently responsible for 23% of built environment operational carbon emissions. It is estimated that 80% of today’s buildings will still be in use in 2050, so the challenge of reducing operational carbon emissions will not be met through optimising new buildings alone. The Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CRREM) estimates that 87% of the improved performance needed for the European real estate sector to meet a 1.5°C aligned pathway, will need to come from existing buildings.”
Commercial Offices Account For 11% of Energy Consumption
The “Building The Case For Net Zero: Retrofitting Office Buildings” report goes onto say that “Commercial offices in the UK account for circa 11% of energy consumption from non-domestic buildings… offices are currently the largest single consumers of electricity, at 15.5% of all non-domestic buildings. Similarly, while only 7% of non-domestic buildings are over 1000 sqm in size, these large buildings account for over half of all total energy consumption. Decarbonising large buildings will, therefore, have a more significant impact on total energy consumption per building retrofitted.”
Annual Performance Based Rating
The UKGBC report is backed up by UK Government findings in “The Non-Domestic Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Implementation of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) B Future Target” which states that “The Government recognises that improving the operational performance of non-domestic buildings is absolutely vital. Commercial and industrial buildings above 1,000m² account for only 7% of all non-domestic buildings, but use over half of the total energy used, and carbon emitted, by all non-domestic buildings.”
“Building owners and single tenants will be required to obtain a performance-based rating annually, and to publicly disclose that rating online. Given the amount of energy used in these buildings. Therefore, the Government proposes to use the scheme to set sector by sector energy reduction targets for 2030 and beyond, against which progress will be tracked on an annual basis, rather than use the EPC to drive improvements to the building fabric and services.”
“The Government is clear that building owners and businesses below 1,000m² also need to optimise the use of their existing space and their existing systems.”
EPC Compliance Windows
All non-domestic rented properties needed to achieve an EPC E where it was cost effective by 1 April 2023, which is when the PRS (Private Rented Sector) Regulations came into effect. Local authorities were expected to ensure that non-domestic properties were compliant or have a valid exemption by that date. After 2023, the Government has put forward four stages where landlords are expected to comply, and where enforcement by local authorities will be required:
Compliance Window for EPC C
- 1 April 2025: Landlords of all non-domestic rented buildings in scope of MEES must present a valid EPC.
- 1 April 2027: All non-domestic rented buildings must have improved the building to an EPC ≥ C or register a valid exemption.
Compliance Window for EPC B
- 1 April 2028: Landlords of all non-domestic rented buildings in scope of MEES must present a valid EPC.
- 1 April 2030: All non-domestic rented buildings must have improved the building to an EPC ≥ B or register a valid exemption.
At each of the enforcement dates above, landlords will need to demonstrate that their building has reached the highest EPC band that a cost-effective package of measures can deliver.
Sustainable Office Design and Refurbishment Space Benefits
Given the drive towards net zero and the high level of energy used by current office space it’s easy to understand why sustainable office design and refurbishments is a high priority for many Kent and London businesses. As well as the clear benefit of contributing towards net zero a sustainable office also comes with a number of additional advantages including:
Reducing Energy Consumption
A sustainable office design will make an office space as energy efficient as possible which in turn will mean lower energy bills.
According to the UK government’s Energy Efficiency [Advice] for Business “Nearly half of business electricity usage occurs outside of standard operating hours. Reducing out-of-hours energy use could save your business significant amounts of money. A longer-term investment is lighting timers, which reduce non-essential lighting when employees are not in the area.” By installing a lighting system that senses and switches off outside of normal working hours and where office space is unoccupied, significant energy savings can be made.
Energy savings can also be made by switching to energy efficient lighting such as LED bulbs, fluorescent lighting strips or strip lights without compromising on light quality. You can also reduce the need for artificial lighting by using natural light wherever possible.
As with lighting, powering down equipment at the end of the day can reduce energy usage. Savings can also be made by encouragong staff to activate power savings settings on computers so that they hibernate when not in use throughout the day and it may also be worth investigating switching from PCs/MACs to laptops which use 85% less electricity.
Boost Brand Reputation
Customers are becoming increasingly aware of the drive to net zero and are looking for the ways to contribute. One of those ways is to buy from companies who demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and who produce sustainable products. In fact a study by Nielsen in 2019 on “A ‘natural’ rise in sustainability around the world” found that “the majority (73%) of global consumers say they would definitely or probably change their consumption behavior to reduce their impact on the environment.”
A study by Deloitte “The Sustainable Consumer 2023” of more than 2,000 UK adults aged 18+ found that “a quarter of consumers are prepared to pay more for sustainability.”
Competitive Advantage
Businesses that move towards a sustainable office design can overcome the hurdles and barriers to become sustainable will end up with a competitive advantage both in the short and long term over businesses that are yet to make the required changes to become eco-friendly.
A competitive advantage also comes from the boost to brand reputation and awareness, as does the reduction in energy usage and bills that allows businesses to reinvest in company and staff.
Compliance With Environmental Regulations
In the push towards Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards and the need for businesses to cut back on energy and water usage, reduce carbon emissions and waste, and ensure waste is disposed of correctly, businesses need to be aware of and uphold environmental regulations which may become stricter as the move towards sustainable practices becomes more important in order to meet the UK’s net zero commitment.
Businesses that adopt sustainable practices now will be in a better position to more easily comply with any new regulations or standards likely to be introduced in the future.
Increased Profits
A study by Bain & Company and EcoVadis “Do ESG Efforts Create Value” of 100,000 businesses found that there were four strongly positive correlations between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and profitability in the areas of sustainable supply chain, renewable energy, employee satisfaction, and diversity, equity and inclusion. In the case of employee satisfaction, results showed that businesses with higher employee satisfaction had a 3-year revenue growth that was 6% higher.
McKinsey and Company also found that companies who were financially successful and who integrate ESG into their growth plans outperform their peers. McKinsey and Company looked at Total Shareholder Return (TSR), financial performance and ESF ratings of 2,269 companies and found the results suggested a “strong ESG commitment adds additional shareholder value for companies that also exceed their peers in growth and profitability.”
Increased Employee Productivity
Numerous studies have shown that offices designed for sustainability provide a healthy work environment which can lead to increased employee productivity levels. Science Daily’s “Employees at ‘green’ companies are significantly more productive, study finds” states that companies who adopt green practices employees are 16% more productive than average.
Professor Magali Delmas, an environmental economist at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the UCLA Anderson School of Management explains “Adopting green practices isn’t just good for the environment. It’s good for your employees and it’s good for your bottom line. Employees in such green firms are more motivated, receive more training, and benefit from better interpersonal relationships. The employees at green companies are therefore more productive than employees in more conventional firms.”
Improved Employee Health and Wellbeing
A survey of 3,400 office workers found that 90% of them believed that working in a sustainable office was both good for the planet and for their wellbeing.
The survey also showed that of employees aged between 18-29 years, 80% felt it was important that their company was sustainable. 34% believed working in a sustainable workplace was more important than their annual bonus. 87% thought that workplaces needed to be assessed according to how sustainable they were. Almost 33% of office workers have considered leaving their current job where there was no commitment to sustainability.
Kent and London Sustainable Office Space
When it comes to the sustainable office design and refurbishment of Kent and London offices there are many areas that can add business value and improve sustainability. Below we outline some of these many areas that come together to make a sustainable office space.
Reuse and Recycle Building Materials
When it comes to your next office refurbishment, rather than procuring new building materials consider the buildings materials already in use within your current office space and think about whether any of those materials could be reused or recycled. According to Enviromate who buy, sell & discover leftover building materials; 120 million tonnes of construction materials are wasted, 32% of UK landfill is made up of construction materials costing £1.5 billion per year.
By reusing materials, you will cut down on the CO2 released during manufacture and break the cycle of materials going to waste.
You can also improve sustainability by using materials and furnishings that come from renewable resources. Products that have good sustainability credentials can help to ensure the sustainability of your office. Using natural materials such as stone and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood in flooring, doors and office furniture means they will last longer and won’t need to be replaced as quickly as they tend to be more durable. FSC certified wood products demonstrate they have been sustainably sourced and maintained.
Natural Light or Energy Efficient Lighting
The use of natural light should be a priority when it comes to the design of your office. Look to make your office space more energy efficient by utilising natural light in your office layout wherever possible. Using natural light reduces the amount of artificial light that’s then required throughout your office thereby reducing your energy consumption.
Wherever artificial light is required use low energy LED lighting systems which are more energy efficient. Incorporate sustainable and smart technology to help decrease energy consumption including the use of smart sensors which can control and monitor light usage.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems play an important part in helping to control temperature and air quality. An efficient HVAC system can instantly improve the energy performance of your office space.
Newer HVACs are far more energy efficient and can result in large yearly cost savings. Updating your air conditioning units or installing alternative energy sources, such as air source heat pumps or solar panels, can vastly improve the eco-credentials of your Kent or London office refurbishment.
Energy Efficient Equipment
Energy efficient office equipment can help to reduce your carbon footprint as they will use less energy and generate less heat which can be a blessing during hot summer days. The Energy Savings Trust state that the average SME could reduce their energy bills through energy efficiency measures plus behaviour change. According to The Carbon Trust PCs and laptops are typically responsible for 60% of the energy consumed by office equipment. Mult Function Devices (MFDs) and printers use 20% and monitors use 15%.
Updating equipment such as printers and multi-functional devices to newer more energy efficient models can help to cut energy consumption by as much as 70%. Laptops use less energy than PCs so it may be worth considering whether static PCs are required or whether laptops with docking stations would serve the same purpose.
Look for Energy Star rated equipment which meet strict energy standards and utilise power management features enabling equipment to enter low-power energy modes which can result in significant savings over time.
Smart Technology
Smart technology can be used to monitor and collect data about where energy, water, and consumables are being used within your office space and help you to reduce waste and making energy savings. As an example, tracking and controlling out of office lighting and ensuring heating, ventilation and air conditioning uses the minimum energy to achieve the maximum performance are just some of the areas savings can be made.
Plants In the Office
Consider incorporating plants in your office design Not only are plants sustainable but they help to bring the outside inside. As well as bringing the outside inside plants come with a host of benefits including improving health and wellbeing through stress reduction, reducing absence leave, increasing productivity and improving air quality.
In fact, plants can actually help filter the air around us by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air as well as removing a variety of toxic and harmful chemicals from the environment. A NASA study found that where plants were introduced into a closed environment containing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene, analysis of the air quality found that most of the VOCs were removed. As a consequence of these results Bill Wolverton the scientist involved in the study said, “If man is to move into closed environments, on Earth or in space, he must take along nature’s life support system.” Plants.
You can incorporate plants into the office through living walls (or green walls) – walls that incorporate plants and foliage. Floor standing plants (or desk standing plants) can also be effective at introducing greenery into the office space and can be anything from a simple potted plant to a tree. Where partitioning is required wall partitions can combine a cabinet or storage furniture with some sort of trough or planting section that plants can be added to.
Water Efficiency
Creating a water efficient office is also an important part of being eco-friendly. There are a number of ways that you can conserve water in the office. As part of your building maintenance, check taps and toilets regularly for any water leaks. If you’re looking to refurbish your toilets or washrooms, consider using dual flush toilets or low-flow toilets which use less water and install low flow or sensor taps or aerators which create a mist/spray which use less water for washing.
If you have a kitchen or tea point area think about how water is used. Encourage staff to conserve water by turning off taps when they finish with them. Look at how mugs, cups and cutlery are washed up i.e. rather than individually running a tap to wash and rinse them encourage staff to steep them in a bowl of water that can be used by more than one person. If you decide to purchase a dishwasher (research has shown that on average dishwashers use 4 times less water than washing by hand) look at those brands which have low water consumption and educate staff on the best dishwasher programmes to use to conserve water.
Paper Use
Waste Managed states that “The UK uses over 9.9 million tonnes of paper annually” and “On average, UK businesses spend £15,000 annually on paper”. They also found that UK businesses “waste an estimated £120 million on unnecessary printing each year.” The City of Westminster explains that recycling one tonne of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 4,000 kilowatts of energy and saves Shred It says it takes 70% less energy and water to recycle paper than to create new paper.
Making your office paperless where possible will reduce the amount of paper you need to use and store thereby freeing up office space as well as saving money and cutting down on waste. You can print less by moving to digital only copies of your documents and changing over to e-invoices and bills. Implementing digital signatures will also help to avoid the need to print documents. Where hard copies of documents are required use only recycled paper and where possible use double sided printing (duplex printing), reduce margins and preview documents before printing to avoid having to reprint.
You should also look for suppliers who use less packaging, so you’ll have less waste to throw away when ordering their products.
Single Use Plastics
The World Economic Forum states that if we don’t cut back on single use plastic there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050. Earthday.org say that 7,000 plastic bottles are bought every minute and the average time for a plastic bottle to completely degrade is at least 450 years.
Every office uses plastic. By identifying and replacing single use plastic items where possible, with reusable alternatives you can significantly reduce plastic within the workplace and decrease the amount of plastic and Styrofoam going to landfill.
There are many examples of where plastic items can be easily replaced including encouraging staff to use refillable or reusable water bottles and reusable cups rather than single use cups. Consider using refillable soap dispensers rather than replacing the plastic soap containers and use suppliers who have sustainability credentials to cut back on plastic packaging. Setup recycling facilities so staff can play their role in helping the office to become sustainable.
Hiring A Sustainable Office Design and Refurbishment Contractor
By hiring a sustainable office design and office refurbishment contractor you can be sure that one of their priorities will be to present you with the best sustainable options for your office fit out. They should also be able to advise on recycling old fixtures and fittings, sourcing sustainable building materials and new sustainable fixtures and fittings as well as ensuring that your office is designed for sustainability.
JBH Refurbishments, Experts In Office Design and Refurbishment
JBH Refurbishments are a cat a and cat b office fit out contractor. We understand what’s required to carry out Kent and London office design and office refurbishments to be sustainable. We can provide the right expertise for your project. From your brief, to putting together a project plan, to developing your office design and layout to delivering your office fit out JBH Refurbishments will provide piece of mind. Contact us via our contact form or by calling us on 0333 207 0339 today for a free on-site consultation.
