海角视频

How can we decarbonise, modernise and regenerate existing building assets and portfolios? And how can this play a part in the complex puzzle of tackling the climate crisis? Here, learn more about 海角视频鈥檚 work in building asset transformation.

What is building asset transformation?

Building asset transformation is any work that meaningfully improves and extends the life of an existing building. Inherent within this is conservation, refurbishment and modernisation. Increasingly, our clients face drivers that push them to decarbonise, modernise and regenerate their buildings and portfolios.

The climate emergency and impacts of the pandemic have pushed the importance of this work up the agenda. The type of buildings that can be transformed is wide and varied. From museums to theatres, and from multi-use buildings to university campus assets, many have heritage or legacy aspects.

The term 鈥榮tranded asset鈥� is a useful term but must be used with care in this context. The fundamental principle of building asset transformation work is the ability to carry on the meaningful life of a building, while the word 鈥榮tranded鈥� wrestles with the danger of considering a building as no longer having a function or that it has reached the end-of-life. Building asset transformation is the opposite of that, breathing new life into existing buildings and changing them so that they can continue to contribute to the built environment.

I鈥檓 drawn to building asset transformations because I love solving the challenges they pose

Christine Lowry, partner, 海角视频

Phillip Barnett is associate director in asset consultancy at 海角视频. He said, 鈥淲e have an opportunity to pivot a building鈥檚 function, help evolve a business model and to realign investment that might otherwise be spent on a new build. It is important to note that 鈥榯ransformation鈥� doesn鈥檛 have to occur on a grand or global scale: it can be on a smaller, local scale and be strategic.

鈥淚t is critical that we understand an asset thoroughly, with particular attention to current performance. When we understand current technical failings and areas for improvement, then we understand what needs to go into a design brief.鈥�

Why transform?

Existing (and dare we call them 鈥榦ld鈥�?) buildings can have the perception of plenty of problems that need to be dealt with. At the start of a transformation project, concerns can include inadequate heating systems and ventilation, poor quality facades and high energy bills. Wouldn鈥檛 it be better to demolish and start again?

Thankfully, for the sake of many heritage and legacy buildings out there, and other existing buildings that have the potential for transformation, the answer is 鈥� not necessarily.

There are inevitably constraints in this work. But we believe in turning those constraints into opportunities. Looking holistically, we can consider placemaking and social value. Breathing new life into existing buildings that are otherwise overlooked, while celebrating the brilliant heritage we can find within the built environment, can bring new energy and working potential to sites that are often at the heart of communities.

This can be about making a 鈥渂etter space鈥� than what was there before. This can include improved circulation (adding lifts and stairs) and making the space work better for occupants. It can also create equitable access that was not in place before. The regeneration of a building can also have real impacts on occupant wellbeing: more light and improved ventilation can have a tangible effect on the physical and mental health of users.

Bringing these buildings back into use delivers real social value, often in the heart of our towns and cities.

Christine Lowry, partner, 海角视频

Darren Conboy is an associate structural engineer at 海角视频. He said, 鈥淯nderstanding the existing building 鈥� the opportunities and the risks 鈥� is critical. Success takes creativity and a vision 鈥� both from the client and from the design team.

“Working with collaborators who share a common vision will result in the best outcomes. And a holistic design which looks at all engineering inputs is important, as shoehorning in a set idea into an existing building will rarely lead to success.鈥�

Transformation can be an enabler for business transformation and realign business needs for a building or asset. This kind of work is also often favourable from a planning perspective. And these buildings are often a landmark, or a statement building, so their transformation and return to use is desirable for developers and occupants.

Importantly, for an industry that now fully recognises the impact of the built environment on the climate, there is also a sustainability story to tell.

Where does this fit in the climate puzzle?

Is it possible to make an asset transformation project sustainable? A critical element to understand, when considering that question, is that of embodied carbon. This is 鈥榗arbon鈥� within the manufacture, transportation, construction, maintenance and disposal of materials that make up a building or asset. Embodied carbon is measured in 鈥榗arbon dioxide equivalent鈥� (CO鈧俥).

Christine Lowry is a partner at 海角视频, specialising in the intersection of sustainability, building performance and building services engineering. She said, 鈥淚鈥檓 drawn to building asset transformations because I love solving the challenges they pose. It is perfectly possible for an asset transformation project to be sustainable. For me, it is about looking at and understanding the inevitable constraints in existing buildings but looking at the opportunities alongside the constraints.

鈥淏uilding asset transformation makes good use of the carbon that has been expended in the past. Building a brand-new building might be more efficient in terms of the operational carbon but will use more embodied carbon that would ever be saved in a 60-year operational life of a building. Data definitely supports the notion that demolishing and rebuilding is not necessarily more sustainable. For example, just keeping the substructure and superstructure could save a quarter of the embodied carbon of that building.鈥�

Embracing complexity

Each project is different and should be treated as such. But complexity is what 海角视频 is good at. Darren Conboy said, 鈥淭he headline from most of the data is that refurb and reuse projects are typically lower in embodied carbon compared to new build, depending on what the building is. The fact that this can be a little complicated is a good thing in my view, because it forces us to have a detailed discussion, allowing us to understand what effects the embodied carbon levels.

鈥淯nderstanding the extent of a refurb is important: the more interventions there are, the higher the embodied carbon loss. Depending on the building type, embodied carbon is a significant portion of the whole-life-carbon in a building.

“If we look at the numbers from ten years ago, embodied and operational carbon would be fairly well balanced in terms of percentage, but due to efforts of decarbonising and building service efficiencies, operational carbon has reduced. That leaves embodied carbon as the area we need to target and reduce.鈥�

The headline from most of the data is that refurb and reuse projects are typically lower in embodied carbon compared to new build

Darren Conboy, associate structural engineer, 海角视频

When it comes to operational carbon, there are plenty of constraints. But there are also opportunities. These include looking at the improving envelope performance (if replacing elements of it), daylight and natural ventilation. Energy choices are also relevant. A switch from gas to electric is often key in decarbonisation efforts, and if renewable energy is an option, it should be considered.

There is also the element of social value, a sometimes-underappreciated element of sustainability work. Many buildings that are transformed are much loved and often are an integral part of a community. Christine Lowry added, 鈥淏ringing these buildings back into use delivers real social value, often in the heart of our towns and cities.鈥�

The impact of 海角视频 in achieving sustainability outcomes

Many of our building asset transformation projects are heritage and legacy buildings. A prime example is the Great Yarmouth Winter Gardens, a Grade II listed Victorian ironwork glasshouse that is a reminder of the golden era of the British seaside. Originally built in 1887 in Torquay, Devon, it was deconstructed and built again in , in 1903. It closed in 2008 but is now subject to a transformation in which 海角视频 is playing a key role. The vision is to create a net zero carbon in operation facility.

Christine Lowry said, 鈥淭here are some significant constraints with this building: it is listed, single glazed, with high solar gains, and the structure is unable to take the weight of a photovoltaic system or an upgrade to double glazing. But we no longer accept that a building like this won鈥檛 be able to be sustainable!

鈥淚nstead, we focused on how we could turn those constraints into opportunities. Reduction in embodied carbon is shown through reusing the frame and substructure, and there are many reductions in operational carbon too, through things like the purchase of renewable energy generated offsite. For ventilation, refurbishing and expanding what is already there is a way to eliminate the need for active cooling. Internal blinds stop solar gain and also keep heat trapped in the winter.

鈥淭he building will also have heat pumps, making it an all-electric building. These opportunities feed into the ambition of achieving net zero carbon鈥�.

Another great example is the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge. While it may lack the Victorian glamour of the Winter Gardens, it signifies the scale of opportunity for this kind of work: it was constructed in the 1960s and there are many buildings of its type around, with a thermal performance significantly below modern standard.

This project had opportunities for many passive design interventions to improve performance and user experience, such as natural ventilation, a new glass atrium, PV panels, high performing double glazing and a green roof. We managed to achieve an operational performance improvement of 35%, post-refurbishment 鈥� this brings the buildings performance in operational carbon to the equivalent to a new build.

Learn more about building asset transformation.