Mark Savage, Managing Director of Gaysha Construction and Refurbishment, talks about everything to consider when looking at retrofit vs refurbishment.
In a world where the primary resources are becoming increasingly scarce, the mantra of “rework, recycle and re-use” is a now a priority and the responsible way forward.
When considering the carbon footprint associated with new builds, it’s crucial to recognise that opting for a completely new construction creates 100% waste footprint, which is soon to be replaced by materials manufactured from scratch. Even with carbon offsets, the impact often fails to address the local stress on landfills and energy resources.
Carbon footprints aside, there are many things to take into consideration so let’s talk about the benefits of refurbishment and retrofit vs rebuild:
1. Environmental Impact – refurbishment drastically reduces the material, labour and carbon burden compared to a new construction. Look at the sustainable angle and the waste involved and weigh it up, the outcome will be obvious.
2. Time – refurbishment is usually a much quicker process than a rebuild. The planning process is far easier for a refurbishment or refit project than a rebuild, this excludes listed property, which will always take more time and need special permissions. Time equals money – so a refurb is quicker and therefore, cost effective.
3. Convenience – unlike a rebuild, refurbishments don’t always mean the building needs to be vacated to complete the job. People can be relocated within the building to accommodate work needed to be done. This is far more convenient for tenants and means there is no disruption to tenants or rental income.
4. Cost Effective – retrofitting is far more cost effective than construction from scratch. It aligns with financial management without compromising on quality, always.
It speaks for itself to champion a sustainable future and prioritise retro fit and refurbishment as smart, efficient and the environmentally conscious choice.
Gaysha is a London-based fit out & refurbishment contractor, specialising in sustainable refurbishments of listed and historic buildings, and operating across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.
Gaysha Ltd, Work.Life, 4 Crown Place, London EC2A 4BT
Tel: 0203 887 3623 Email: info@gaysha.co.uk Web: www.gaysha.co.uk
