New research into commercial retrofits will be released in coming months to support strategies on how to deliver carbon savings across the built environment.
The research is being undertaken by the UK Green Building Council, which has assembled a team of more than 30 industry experts to explore the effectiveness of common retrofit measures in commercial real estate.
Members of the task force include developers, investors and consultants, representing companies such as Arcadis, Canary Wharf Group, CBRE, General Projects, Grosvenor, JLL and the Crown Estate.
The UKGBC said it would assess real world case studies to determine whether retrofit measures have been effective.
The task force will work to understand the carbon and cost effectiveness of these measures and explore how to overcome common challenges that the industry faces.
Since commercial building account for nearly a quarter of the built environment’s carbon footprint, securing a net zero built environment in line with the Paris Agreement cannot be achieved without addressing the operational emissions associated with the sector, UKGBC said.
The organisation also cited recent analysis from JLL that showed that real estate assets with stronger sustainability credentials increasingly attract higher capital values and rents.
More efficient offices are “likely” to drive greater interest from occupiers due to reduced operating and energy costs.