Green Retrofitting of Commercial Property
The demand for sustainable commercial property buildings is growing. A sustainable building is one that uses resources efficiently, produces a low carbon footprint, has small or no negative impacts on the environment and provides a healthy indoor climate. Many older commercial buildings can be made more sustainable by green retrofitting. This is the process of refurbishing an old building to make it more environmentally friendly and efficient.
A successful refit will not only ensure green targets have been met but it should also result in the increase of the value of the building and provide long term savings for both landlords and tenants. Building owners could have a competitive edge as more and more occupants seek out energy-efficient, smart buildings.
And those office other building occupants are more likely to work more productively for their employers when their workplace provides lots of natural light, ventilation and the ability to control temperature.
What does green retrofitting involve?
There’s never going to be a one size fits all solution for retrofitting commercial property and there is the possibility of large upfront costs especially if outdated equipment needs to be replaced. However even the smallest of projects can help to reduce a building’s carbon emissions.
Green retrofitting tends to focus on making reductions in energy use and installing renewable energy systems. This can simply involve replacing lights such as light bulbs for more efficient LED lights or taking it further and installing solar panels.
Re-insulating a property will help to maintain a suitable temperature and lower costs as will an upgrade to heating or air conditioning units especially if automation is added to run the systems and has the ability to switch off power when it is detected that an area is not in use.
Water systems can be set up to ensure supplies are reused and conserved such as low flush toilets and rainwater collection. Aerated taps contain a flow regulator that controls the amount of water coming through and can be fitted to older taps. Low-flow showers can be installed.
Green roofs are gaining in popularity because they are low cost and maintenance. Using a roof that supports plants and grass can moderate a building’s heat and the amount of stormwater runoff.
And finally fitting charging points for electric vehicles at a building could encourage tenants to make use of such cars.
Don’t forget to search NovaLoca’s thousands of commercial property listings to find the premises that suit your specific needs.
