Let’s talk about money: Retrofit needs to be profitable

Let’s talk about money: Retrofit needs to be profitable

15 September 2026 12:45 pm - 1:30 pm Financing The Carbon Revolution

Developers face numerous uphill challenges when faced with retrofit. In order to create the conditions that encourage the reuse of buildings, rather than demolish and build new, it needs to be simpler and more profitable. The reuse of existing buildings has the potential to stimulate economic growth, meet our housing targets, create jobs, improve public health, reduce waste, all whilst working towards a net zero property industry.

There are currently numerous disincentives to retrofit such as VAT, lack of regulation of embodied carbon and/or tax on carbon emissions through. What mechanisms should be employed to remove these obstacles, and whose job is it to do so? How can we have a profitable net zero property industry?

Chairperson

Richard Nelson Richard Nelson, Founder & Managing Director, ABYSS Global

Speakers

Becci Taylor Becci Taylor, Director, Arup
Ben Cross Ben Cross, Founder, MORE
Leanne Tritton Leanne Tritton, Chair, The London Society
Will Hurst Will Hurst, Managing Editor, Architects Journal