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Sustainability expert to chair on green office refurbishment at EcoBuild

Press release

Published on 15.02.2011

The sustainability manager from the UK’s leading ‘green’ office design, fit out and refurbishment company, Morgan Lovell, will chair and present at a seminar session at Ecobuild, the world’s biggest sustainable design and construction event being held in London in March 2011.

Sophie Hutchinson, a BREEAM-trained authority on green office design who is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), will chair the session entitled “Sustainable Interiors for Commercial Property Refurbishment”, as part of the Refurbishing Britain seminar programme.

The session, which focuses on designing and refurbishing an office interior with a view to reducing energy consumption, takes place from 12:30 hours to 14:00 hours on Wednesday, 2 March. Sophie will also give the first presentation of the session, which specifically asks “Do BREEAM and style mix?”.

Sophie’s presentation will be followed by a discussion on the new SKA rating from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), plus a number of case studies giving actual examples of where designing ‘green’ products into an office refurbishment has successfully achieved a reduction in energy usage.

Ecobuild 2011 is a three-day event being held at the ExCel centre in London’s Docklands, from Tuesday, 1 March till Thursday 3 March. As well as its impressive - and free - seminar programme, Ecobuild plays host to over 1,300 exhibitors and a wealth of attractions and new products, plus the renowned BREEAM Awards.

Morgan Lovell has been leading the way in sustainable office design and fit out for several years, and was the first company in the UK to achieve certification from BSI to the energy management system standard, BS EN 16001. Their headquarters in London was also the first in the UK to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ on an office refurbishment project of its type, so as a company they have experienced first-hand how a commercial office fit out can be made green.

“I’m really proud to be part of such an important event in the world of sustainable construction,” says Sophie. “Morgan Lovell is committed to reducing or minimising energy consumption throughout the built environment, and it’s great that Ecobuild is really taking that message to the masses, both domestically and commercially.”

“Many people believe that taking the sustainable route costs a lot more,” explains Sophie, “But we’re keen to show that planning in advance, and building to the standards set in systems such as BREEAM, can not only save you money in the short-term but also deliver long-term benefits too. Not least of which are the benefits to the environment.”