Previous Events
Commercial Property in a Changing Climate
03 December 2013The London Climate Change Partnership in conjunction with the Better Building Partnership and LSx organised a round table event on commercial property and climate change adaptation on 3 December 2013.
Mel Allwood, Associate from Arup presented Designing differently for a future climate at 100 City Road, outlining how the project team took future climate projections and looked at how such models would have an impact on a particular building. The project was based upon 5 principles: (1) high ceilings; (2) concrete core cooling; (3) windows that open; (4) flexible occupation and (5) stays cool stays warm. The project included building a mock up to test the building and a range of innovative features. Designing differently for a future climate at 100 City Road.
Greg Davies from Assurity Consulting presented Ensuring buildings are fit for the long term purpose which focused upon water security, the various uses within buildings and appreciating the value of water – not just the cost. 85% of businesses do not have water reduction targets, but by focussing on uses in a building it is possible to take measures to reduce water consumption. Greg used the simple and no cost example of a company that reviewed its cleaning contract and removed the requirement to flush toilets every time they were cleaned – this led to significant water savings (70,000 litres) when measured over a year. Ensuring buildings are fit for the long term purpose
Roundtable discussion
With this food for thought, the roundtable discussion explored how London’s commercial property owners can take further steps to ensure long term sustainability and preparedness for extreme weather and climate change.
Whilst attendees recognised the importance of the issues raised in the presentation it was suggested by the group they would need some technical support to show the financial case within their companies – both in terms of new build and retrofit/refurbishment. As a result the group expressed an appetite for guidance to be produced for the sector (probably as a partnership project) – particularly with regard to the issue of overheating.
LCCP recognises that the Commercial Property sector is an important part of London that shapes both the landscape and the economy of the city and we will be exploring with the Better Buildings Partnership and all of the attendees in further detail about their requirements. The group agreed that the session had been useful and that they would welcome an ongoing dialogue via LCCP on the issue.
The group agreed the following actions to be taken forward:
• LCCP to circulate to group the new CIBSE guidance on design summer years
• LCCP to circulate to group the link to the CREW project
• LCCP to circulate to group details of EA’s new flood risk maps
• BBP and LCCP to investigate opportunities for study on climate impacts to London’s commercial building stock in the medium term (2020-30), with particular regard to the limits to current cooling arrangements
• All members of the group to investigate possibilities to provide support and input to the project
• Participants were asked to provide suitable case studies on climate change adaptation where possible
• LCCP to broker discussion with the insurance industry for the group, via its membership
• LSx to work with BASE London to include adaptation questions within their survey next year
• Arup to consider comparing the costs of including adaptive measures in 100 City Road project with the cost of retrofitting such measures in future.
For further details about this work please write to Matthew.Dear@london.gov.uk