Counting the upfront carbon in Cat B office fit out | Part 1

Experts from across the fit out sector set out to answer this critical question: What’s the current upfront carbon (life cycle modules A1-A5) performance level for Cat B office fit out?

And the answer?

It’s not straightforward. But if you wanted an evidenced average of the current upfront carbon performance level of Cat B office fit out, your number would be 190 kg CO₂e/m² (with a lot of caveats to go alongside).

Why is establishing the upfront carbon impact in Cat B office fit out important?

If we’re optimistic, the shell and core plus Cat A of a building are built to last 60 years and 20 years respectively. During this time, there’ll be multiple Cat B fit outs. If a fit out takes place every five to ten years, then the Cat B carbon impact could equal that of the shell and core plus Cat A in as little as 20 years.

This cumulative Cat B carbon cost is why our research is so important.

Download the full report to find out more and start your next Cat B office fit out project armed with the best available data today.

Part 1 | Counting the upfront carbon in Cat B office fit out contributors:

Manas Bane, SRE; Will Belfield, Hoare Lea; Asif Din, Perkins & Will; Zoë Glander, Overbury; Elina Grigoriou, Grigoriou Interiors; Alexia Laird, Landsec; Andrew Moore, Hillson Moran; Salem Qunsol, Verte; and Anja Schellenbauer, JRA.

Supported by George Sexton and Karly Mills from Overbury. Special thanks to Muhammas Abdulsalem and Petro Michaelas from Verte; Imogen Christodoulou and Alice Jackson from Hoare Lea; Seyma Atik from Hilson Moran; Celine McLoughlin-Jenkins from AECOM and Debbie Hobbs from CBRE.