Tenants 'must push for sustainable office design'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 02-02-2011

Pressure needs to come from tenants for sustainability to really take off in the UK, it has been claimed.

Michael O'Doherty, head of climate change for buildings and energy at Manchester City Council, told attendees of the Retrofit Salford 2011 event that demand by tenants will likely be the major driving force behind the uptake of sustainable office design in the future.

He commented: "When tenants understand the benefits and are prepared to pay a premium for retrofitted, highly energy-efficient buildings, that is when the market will move.

"It is an area that we need to do more to push with, but it will probably be driven by tenants in the commercial sector's demand."

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, traditional building methods must make room for more cost effective and sustainable designs in the future.

The organisation claimed that off-site construction methods, recycled materials and innovative structural design can all play a key part in improving sustainability across the UK.

Posted by Ian Johnson