In with the old: Office building upgrades show the way forward
The shift toward prioritising the retrofitting and refurbishment of office buildings instead of demolition and rebuild projects shows no sign of slowing. According to Deloitte’s latest London Office Crane Survey, published last summer, refurbishment activity continued to dominate, accounting for nearly 2 million sq ft — or 83% of total activity — across 23 schemes.
Speaking to Property Week, JRA director Nathalie Bergvall says the question is no longer whether to retrofit, but how far to take it. “We routinely test various scenarios with our clients, ranging from light-touch refurbishments through to deep retrofits that target full decarbonisation, low embodied carbon and best-in-class sustainability credentials,” she says. “Demolition and rebuild options are still interrogated but, in most cases, they fail to compete.”
According to Bergvall, retrofitting increasingly makes good business sense, both financially and environmentally, adding that it is often the most viable route to bring commercial spaces to market within realistic timeframes.
JRA’s project at 25–27 St George Street, is cited as a clear example. The top two floors of the eight-storey building were previously used for residential purposes, are now being reconstructed using mass timber and converted into eight floors of modern office space. In addition, the proposal includes several terrace spaces to introduce green roof pockets, primarily to increase the urban greening factor, the wellbeing of the occupants, and local biodiversity.
“Refurbishment is compelling precisely because it aligns sustainability with long-term value. The most sustainable building is the one already standing, and this principle now underpins commercial decision-making as much as environmental strategy.”
