What is a low carbon fit out?

The Paris Climate Agreement aims to keep temperature rise below 1.5C and the report’s authors state that this will not be possible without huge cuts in carbon. Buildings have a key role to play in this – perhaps more than most people realise. According to the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC), the built environment contributes around 40 percent of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Furthermore, 80 percent of buildings that we’ll be using in 2050 have already been built. While new buildings might be more energy efficient, decarbonising existing stock will have a much bigger impact on reducing carbon emissions.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reports that an estimated 11 percent of UK construction spending is on fit out, and that buildings may have 30 to 40 fit outs in their lifecycle, including more minor changes. Low carbon fit out will be an essential way for companies to reduce their carbon output and support the UK’s net zero commitment.

A low carbon fit out is an interior building development that is low carbon in its design, operation and entire lifecycle. Carbon output can be categorised into two areas – operational carbon and embodied carbon.

Operational carbon refers to the carbon emissions from the operation of a building. Typical causes of operational carbon include lighting, ventilation, heating and cooling. In recent years, a lot of emphasis on reducing carbon has been on operational carbon and big improvements have been made. Smart lighting and temperature systems have helped building managers adjust usage depending on building occupancy. With the rise in hybrid working and smart buildings, we can hope to see operational carbon reduced further in the years ahead.

The other type of carbon output is embodied carbon. This encompasses all the carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) emitted in producing materials. For example, for a marble worktop the embodied carbon would include the energy used to extract and transport the raw materials, emissions from the manufacturing process, emissions to transport the worktop to the building, the maintenance of the worktop and even how it is recycled or disposed of at the end of its lifecycle. Though important, the operational carbon in fit out is often less compared to embodied carbon, which is why there needs to be a shift in focus. If that shift can be made on a grand scale, the potential benefits are numerous.

As discussed, buildings have a huge role to play in reaching carbon reduction goals. In addition to international action, many companies are setting their own net zero commitments – 2030 is a common goal. For most, that goal will not be achievable without a significant reduction in embodied carbon.

Targets can be hard to set and measure without outside support. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is an international organisation that supports companies in setting science-based targets to reduce emissions and ratifies that those targets are in line with the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The SBTi provides a step-by-step process and is an excellent partner in the fight against climate change.

Companies must also consider their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions before setting goals. These form the basis for mandatory greenhouse gas reporting in the UK.

Scope 1 – The emissions that a company makes directly, such as vehicle emissions

Scope 2 – Indirect emissions, such as energy bought for heating a building

Scope 3 – All the emissions that an organisation is indirectly responsible for, including supply chains and from products that its customers use.

Reusing products as much as possible can dramatically reduce the carbon impact of the fit out. The embodied carbon has already been spent, and it’s also more cost effective than buying new. After reuse, consider products with a high recycled content as these are almost always better when calculating carbon emissions.

Ongoing maintenance is the next consideration and ties in with the lifecycle of products. For example, paint has a marginally lower embodied carbon than fabric. However, a wall will need to be repainted many times over the course of a building’s lifecycle, whereas fabric might last much longer. These are areas where a fit out consultant will be able to provide invaluable guidance. When thinking about waste reduction, consider whether a product can be reused at the end of its cycle. If not, can all parts be easily disassembled and recycled?

With materials and maintenance covered, it’s time to plan the design. The next frontier in design will be designing more intelligently to use less material. Designers will need to think about becoming more minimalist without making spaces feel empty, and how to make materials go further. For example, plasterboard has low emissions for embodied carbon. However, if a design uses a lot, then the only way to reduce emissions is to use less rather than being able to find a better product.

Designers will also need to create flexible spaces. Companies scale up and down all the time, and the rise of flexible operators may see fit outs happening at a greater frequency. Designers must take this into account to ensure that the carbon impact is minimal when changes are made and that spaces are designed to be easily adjusted for future changes in occupancy or use.

It’s not all doom and gloom as there are reasons for optimism alongside the challenges. More products will come to market that are self-defining as net zero and EPDs will become more common. We’ll also see ongoing innovation and new products on the market. The total carbon costs of a fit out will come down as the range and availability of products increases. The heightened awareness around climate change, in part spurred by the IPCC report, has crystallised the need for urgent change. The private sector has an opportunity to make a big impact. That there are business reasons as well as environmental reasons should see more companies aiming for net zero by 2030.

Landlords also have an opportunity to market low carbon workplaces. Indeed, the RICS and World Build Environment Report found that half the respondents could command a higher rent for a green building. On the other hand, 30 percent of respondents reported offering tenants a discount for a building that was not sustainable. There’s clearly a motivation for building owners to reduce the carbon footprint of their spaces. Moreover, building owners are being pushed by the latest iteration of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation to improve their buildings operational energy performance.