As we continue to champion a retrofit first approach across our projects, and the wider industry, our team’s contribution to accelerate action and change remains an important part of our climate charter.

This week, Simon Bennett, a Director in our London studio joined forces with a collective of industry experts and project partners to help The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) shape their commercial retrofit work.

Over the next six months a group of industry experts appointed by UKGBC, along with five project partners, will come together to undertake crucial research and provide guidance and counsel on a variety of issues facing our industry as we strive to build a Net Zero future for commercial buildings.

Building on the ‘Delivering Net Zero: Key Considerations for Commercial Retrofits’ report launched last year by UKGBC, Simon and the Commercial Retrofit group will now work together on phase 2 of the group’s work.

As the urgency to adopt a retrofit first approach across the UK’s commercial real estate industry builds, our team continue to play their part in tackling the issues faced to support the country’s retrofit movement.

Discussing his appointment to the Commercial Retrofit Task Group, Simon Bennett said: ”I am delighted to be involved in this important project. At Civic Engineers we always strive to integrate carbon reduction into our projects so it is exciting to be involved in defining best practice for the whole industry and collaborating with the group and partners creating this important guidance and research.”

With a passion for complex sites and retro-first projects, Simon was heavily involved in the completion of 80 Strand, London. Completed last year, 80 Strand is a fantastic 1930s GII listed building brought up to date by a sensitive retro-first approach. A highlight included the reimagining of the building’s main entrance which saw the creation of a beautiful, glazed pavilion, formed from lightweight steelwork to maximise daylight into one of London’s finest heritage buildings.

With the task group and UKGBC set to produce further guidance to support the industry’s net zero focused commercial retrofit goals, stay tuned for more updates on the group’s crucial work.