What is a low carbon fit out?

A low carbon fit out is an interior development of a building that is low carbon in its design, operation and entire lifecycle. Carbon output can be categorised into two areas – operational carbon and embodied carbon. Operational carbon refers to the carbon emissions from the operation of a building. Typical causes of operational carbon include lighting, ventilation, heating and cooling. In recent years, a lot of emphasis on reducing carbon has been on operational carbon and big improvements have been made. Smart lighting and temperature systems have helped building managers adjust usage depending on building occupancy. With the rise in hybrid working and smart buildings, we can hope to see operational carbon reduced further in the years ahead. The other type of carbon output is embodied carbon. This encompasses all the carbon dioxide (and other greenhouse gases) emitted in producing materials. For example, for a marble worktop the embodied carbon would include the energy used to extract and transport the raw materials, emissions from the manufacturing process, emissions to transport the worktop to the building, the maintenance of the worktop and even how it is recycled or disposed of at the end of its lifecycle. Though important, the operational carbon in fit out is often less compared to embodied carbon, which is why there's been a recent shift in focus.

Businesses have the most control over Scope 1 and 2, which usually include most of their operational carbon. In construction especially, Scope 3 is the big one to consider when looking at embodied carbon, and although it is the hardest to address, it’s where the biggest impact can be made. Away from the environmental benefits, companies must also consider that clients, customers and employees want to work with a sustainable company.

A Deloitte survey into sustainability and consumer behaviour from March found that in the last 12 months, 34 percent of respondents had chosen brands that have environmentally sustainable practices and values. The same survey asked respondents which sustainable practices they valued and reducing carbon footprint was the second top answer with 43 percent. This is a trend that has been accelerating and will likely do so as more people become aware of the climate crisis we are facing. Companies that take steps now to start reducing their carbon output will position themselves favourably with this growing consumer segment.

Reusing products as much as possible can dramatically reduce the carbon impact of the fit out. The embodied carbon has already been spent, and it’s also more cost effective than buying new. After reuse, consider products with a high recycled content as these are almost always better when calculating carbon emissions. Ongoing maintenance is the next consideration and ties in with the lifecycle of products. For example, paint has a marginally lower embodied carbon than fabric. However, a wall will need to be repainted many times over the course of a building’s lifecycle, whereas fabric might last much longer. These are areas where a fit out consultant will be able to provide invaluable guidance.

When thinking about waste reduction, consider whether a product can be reused at the end of its cycle. If not, can all parts be easily disassembled and recycled? With materials and maintenance covered, it’s time to plan the design. The next frontier in design will be designing more intelligently to use less material. Designers will need to think about becoming more minimalist without making spaces feel empty, and how to make materials go further. For example, plasterboard has low emissions for embodied carbon. However, if a design uses a lot, then the only way to reduce emissions is to use less rather than being able to find a better product.

Designers will also need to create flexible spaces. Companies scale up and down all the time, and the rise of flexible operators may see fit outs happening at a greater frequency. Designers must take this into account to ensure that the carbon impact is minimal when changes are made and that spaces are designed to be easily adjusted for future changes in occupancy or use.