Sustainability in the Built Environment: Retrofit & Reuse in Practice

07 Feb 23

Iceni recently secured planning permission on behalf of our client for the retention, retrofitting, remodelling and extension of an existing 1970’s building at 150 St Vincent Street, to create Grade A office accommodation in Glasgow’s City Centre.

There’s an air of anticipation in Scotland’s planning world, as we creep towards the adoption of the new National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) on 13th February, just 5 days away. But don’t worry, this is not a 100+ page summary of the possible practical implications of NPF4, for this review we’re focussing on just the small matter of sustainability in the built environment…

We all know the benefits of retaining buildings in terms of embodied carbon, and in the context of the global climate emergency there is clear policy support in NPF4 for the reuse of existing buildings and retrofit measures to minimise emissions as far as possible, with demolition being the least preferred option. This is beginning to be reflected in the consultation draft of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in England, where an additional paragraph is proposed in Chapter 14 outlining that significant weight should be given to the need to support energy efficiency improvements through the adaption of existing buildings, particularly large, non-domestic buildings.

Commercial developers must, however, weigh up more than just embodied carbon benefits in the transition to net-zero. Heritage & townscape, public realm requirements, economic & physical viability, tenant requirements as well as health & wellbeing all play a part in the planning decision-making process. There will be instances where retrofit or reuse will not be possible for clear, demonstrable reasons; and a “one-size-fits-all” solution would not be appropriate, but the NPF4 policy context recognises that exploring whether a building can be retained should be the place to start.

So how can retrofit and reuse work in practice?

With sustainability at its core, the 150,000 sqft building will meet the needs of modern occupiers with large, open plan floorplates and modern amenities, to create a more flexible and future-proofed building, whilst addressing the limitations and inefficiencies of the existing building. Expertly designed by architects Sheppard Robson, the retrofit nature is likely to be a unique selling point for future tenants, with key ESG credentials being targeted including NABERS (targeting 5-star rating) and an ambition to become Glasgow’s first BREEAM Outstanding commercial building.

The ambition to retain the building was explored and established at the outset, and as a result the team successfully achieved a significant increase in height and massing through a 10-storey rear extension which complements the adjacent Category-A listed building and townscape of the wider conservation area, whilst delivering energy efficient, Grade A office space to meet the demands of modern tenants.

The emergence of the new policy regime in Scotland means the policy intent for a “retrofit first” approach has never been clearer. The 150 St Vincent Street development will be an exemplar retrofit and reuse project for Glasgow and beyond, where many more are likely to follow. We look forward to seeing it being built…from Iceni’s very own office window!