Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have shaped the non-domestic built environment since their introduction in 2008 and, despite ongoing criticism, are clearly here to stay. While EPCs are often challenged for relying on simplified and sometimes outdated assumptions, overlooking factors such as heritage constraints and offering only a broad view of building performance, they continue to exert significant influence on investor confidence, tenant demand and asset value. This session explores whether EPCs are the right tool to drive progress towards net zero and, crucially, how they can be used more effectively.

Panel members will discuss how EPC assessments are approached in practice, the transformative impact of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), and recommended pathways for ongoing improvement. The discussion will cover practical measures to improve ratings, including the role of commercial heat pumps, and the differing levels of retrofit required to reach target ratings. Real-world case studies will demonstrate how office buildings can be upgraded from EPC ‘E’ to ‘A’ or ‘B’, contrasting deep retrofits in vacant buildings with the challenges of working in occupied spaces.

Combining deep retrofit, structural retention, and innovative concrete reuse with future-ready commercial design, BEAM’s transformation of 33 Cavendish Square offers a vision of what ‘retrofit-first’ can achieve.

Re-imagining a central London 1960s retail and office landmark, the scheme is retaining approximately 58% of the existing structure, significantly reducing embodied carbon.

For the parts of the building that could not be retained, cutting-edge slab design and innovative concrete mixes minimise structural depth and maximise reuse of material from the demolished structure. The client and design teams’ ambition is to push the reuse of concrete as far as possible to enable future projects to follow suit.

Join the project team to explore:

•   Reuse of 100% of demolished concrete as aggregate in new structural mixes

•   How to build more with less and what is stopping reuse from becoming the new

business-as-usual

•   The future of low-carbon, circular concrete construction

1 Victoria Street is a historically layered site undergoing transformation into a responsible and future-focused workplace. In partnership with Mitsubishi Estate and architects AHMM, the project reimagines a building last redeveloped in the 1960s into a sustainable office space that responds sensitively to its heritage context in Westminster.

Originally constructed as luxury flats in the 1840s and later adapted for office use following World War II damage, the building is now being renewed to meet contemporary commercial and environmental demands. Up to 52% of the existing structure will be retained by volume, significantly reducing embodied carbon, while new extensions, high-performance façades, upgraded MEP services and reconfigured cores comply with modern regulations while reducing climate risk to the asset. The scheme introduces active retail at ground level, high-quality office space above, and biodiversity-rich green terraces at upper levels. Together, these interventions demonstrate how adaptive reuse can balance heritage, sustainability and long-term urban vitality.

The retrofit of Broadgate Tower reimagines a key building in one of London’s iconic office estates. Originally completed in 2008, the project aims to deliver a best-in-class, sustainable workplace that responds to its unique location between Shoreditch and the City, while retaining the tower’s architectural prominence. Central to the scheme is a strong sustainability philosophy rooted in retention and reuse.

The project incorporates reused steelwork, cross-laminated timber slabs and reused internal finishes, reducing embodied carbon to a minimum. An all-electric services strategy targets net-zero carbon in operation, with 100% renewable energy, biodiversity gain, the project is on target for BREEAM Outstanding and Well Platinum ratings.

The architectural approach strengthens the building’s relationship to the ground through active frontages, improved accessibility and vibrant public spaces. Across 14 refurbished floors and a three-storey extension, the project introduces flexible, biophilic workplaces, market-leading amenities and enhanced end-of-trip facilities. Broadgate Tower demonstrates how refurbishment can deliver sustainability, connectivity and long-term value at scale.

Retrofitting commercial buildings is critical to reducing energy use and carbon emissions, yet delivering viable projects remains complex. No two buildings, clients, or regions are the same, and a business case that works in London may not stack up in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, or other regional markets. Local economics, regulations, asset values, and investor expectations all influence retrofit decisions.

This session explores how regional market dynamics shape retrofit strategies, from return-on-investment pressures to planning and compliance considerations. It will examine why decarbonisation measures particularly heat pumps can be essential but difficult to justify, depending on building typology and local conditions.

The panel brings together developers, asset owners, and building managers from across the UK to share candid perspectives and real-world examples. Gain practical insights into how retrofit and decarbonisation business cases are being tailored regionally, and how to make projects viable beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

One Exchange Square reimagines a 1980s office building and demonstrates how novel methods can be used to expand commercial floor space on a large-scale cut & carve project whilst minimising carbon impact. The whole building has been redesigned to deliver healthier working environments with roof terraces, interior planting and a diversity of uses contributing to a revitalised whole.

The project delivers a substantial 11-storey, 7.5m extension above London Liverpool Street Station without foundation strengthening, avoiding the significant embodied carbon associated with new basements and deep piling. An exoskeletal transfer truss and hanger system redistributes loads back to the retained structure, enabling 94% structural retention by volume, prioritising flexibility and material efficiency. Preloading the structure and removing it as the facade was installed minimises movement of the cladding system.

Theatr Clwyd is a cornerstone of North Wales’ arts scene, operating as a major producing theatre and regional cultural hub with a diverse estate of performance, rehearsal and support spaces. Developed incrementally over time, the aggregated buildings on the site are representative of many complex cultural and educational campuses across the UK, where varied construction types and intensive occupancy place significant demands on building services. Assembly spaces in particular present challenging environmental requirements, balancing audience comfort, performer needs and energy efficiency.

This presentation explores how the project team approached the retrofit of Theatr Clwyd to future-proof the building, improve thermal comfort and significantly reduce operational costs. It will focus on the strategy and delivery of targeted thermal fabric upgrades alongside the electrification of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Attendees will gain insight into working within an operational theatre environment, coordinating interventions across a complex estate, and delivering a low-carbon retrofit solution that supports both artistic ambition and long-term sustainability

38 Finsbury Square is a major retrofit delivering 52,000 sq ft of future-ready workspace in the heart of London. The project is defined by an ambitious and genuinely holistic sustainability brief, balancing environmental performance, social value and commercial viability. Alongside targeting BREEAM Outstanding, enabling WELL Platinum and progressing through the IDR process towards a NABERS target, the project is a pilot for the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard and adopts a comprehensive materials passport framework. L&G has also embedded clear social value requirements within contractor procurement.
This session introduces the project and design approach before exploring the realities of delivering such a wide-ranging sustainability agenda. Through a panel discussion, the team will focus on the development and implementation of the materials passport strategy, sharing lessons learned across client, design, development and construction perspectives. 38 Finsbury Square demonstrates how progressive sustainability thinking spanning circularity, wellbeing and social impact can be successfully embedded within a complex, commercially viable retrofit.

The UK Green Building Council will present an update on the built environment sector’s progress on meeting their net zero trajectory. This panel will review the evolving UK regulatory landscape which aims to deliver decarbonisation of buildings. With the Future Homes and Buildings Standard now published but not coming into force until 2027, questions remain over delivery timelines and industry readiness, despite clear intent to mandate low-carbon heating and high energy efficiency in retrofitting existing buildings

Attention will also turn to the uncertain trajectory of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for non-domestic buildings, where tightening requirements have been signalled but lack firm policy clarity, creating investment ambiguity.

The panel will examine progress on clean heat adoption, including electrification and heat pumps, and how policy continues to balance ambition with delivery challenges. We will also discuss the legislation & guidance that built environment professionals can follow to ensure that we can make more progress towards our Net Zero targets. This discussion will provide critical insight into regulatory progress, gaps, and the path to decarbonising buildings in the UK.