In the past, demolition and rebuild may have seemed like the obvious route when a building no longer met modern requirements. Today, the question is more complex. Could the structure be reused? Could the interior be adapted? Could performance be improved without starting again?

In many cases, the most sustainable building may be the one already standing.

Why Existing Buildings Have Hidden Environmental Value

Every building contains a large amount of material, energy and labour. Steel, concrete, blockwork, plasterboard, insulation, finishes and services all carry an environmental cost from manufacture, transport and installation.

When an existing building is demolished, much of that value can be lost. Even where materials are recycled, demolition still creates waste, transport movements and replacement demand for new products.

This is why refurbishment and reuse are becoming more important in conversations around sustainable construction. Keeping useful parts of a building in place can help reduce the need for new materials and limit the carbon impact associated with starting again.

Embodied Carbon Is Changing the Conversation

A major reason for this shift is embodied carbon. This refers to the carbon emissions associated with materials and construction processes, rather than the energy used to operate a building once it is occupied.

Operational energy still matters, but embodied carbon has become harder to ignore. A highly efficient new building may perform well once completed, but it can still require a large amount of carbon-intensive material to construct.

RICS’ Whole Life Carbon Assessment guidance supports a fuller view of carbon across a building’s life, including new-build, existing assets, retrofit and refurbishment. UKGBC has also highlighted the importance of considering retrofit and reuse as part of lower-carbon construction.

For Broadsword, this is where careful planning, practical construction knowledge and high-quality internal works can make a real difference.

Refurbishment Can Extend a Building’s Useful Life

A building does not always need to be replaced to become more useful. Sometimes it needs to be reworked.

A tired office, commercial unit or residential space may be able to support new layouts, better finishes, improved comfort and more efficient use of space. Through interior fit-out, existing buildings can be adapted to meet current expectations without losing the value already built into the structure.

This could involve new partitions, ceilings, flooring, acoustic upgrades, fire protection works, joinery, plastering and decoration. The goal is not simply to make an old space look newer. It is to make it work better for the people using it.

Retrofit Requires Careful Coordination

Refurbishment projects can be more complex than they first appear. Unlike a new-build project, the team is working with existing conditions, previous alterations and sometimes limited information about what sits behind walls, ceilings or floors.

This makes early coordination essential. Dry lining, suspended ceilings, solid partitioning, plastering and second fix carpentry all need to work around the building as it exists, not just as drawings suggest it might be.

Small discoveries on site can affect sequencing, cost and programme. A service route may need to change. A wall may not be suitable for a planned fixing. A ceiling void may be tighter than expected. Planning these possibilities early can help reduce delays and avoid rushed decisions later.

For residential projects, Broadsword’s article on planning a residential refurbishment offers useful guidance on approaching refurbishment work in a more organised way.

Fire Protection and Compliance Still Come First

Sustainability should never come at the expense of safety or compliance. When an existing building is refurbished, project teams need to understand how changes may affect compartmentation, escape routes, fire resistance and service penetrations.

This is especially important where layouts are altered or services are upgraded. Passive fire protection and firestopping and air sealing should be considered throughout the project, not left until the final stages.

Broadsword has explored this in more detail in fire protection mistakes to avoid in commercial buildings, where early planning and proper coordination are shown to be essential for safer project delivery.

Interior Choices Can Reduce Waste

Sustainable refurbishment is not only about retaining the structure. The way the interior is specified and delivered also matters.

Where suitable, project teams can reduce waste by avoiding unnecessary demolition, selecting durable finishes, planning material quantities carefully and using adaptable systems that can support future change.

For example, raised access flooring can help make services easier to adapt over time, while flexible partition layouts can allow a space to change without major structural work. Durable floor coverings, well-installed ceilings and high-quality finishes can also reduce the need for early replacement.

Good workmanship supports sustainability because materials last longer when they are installed correctly.

Why This Matters for Developers and Contractors

Developers and contractors are increasingly expected to think beyond the immediate finish. Clients, occupiers and planning discussions are placing more focus on carbon, waste, building performance and long-term value.

This means refurbishment is no longer simply a second-best option. In the right circumstances, it can be a smart, responsible and commercially sensible approach.

Broadsword’s work across residential refurbishment, interior fit-out, dry lining, suspended ceilings, plastering and finishing trades supports the kind of careful internal transformation that can help existing buildings perform better and last longer.

Conclusion

The most sustainable building may be the one already standing because existing structures contain materials, carbon, labour and value that should not be overlooked.

By refurbishing, adapting and improving buildings where appropriate, project teams can reduce waste, support lower-carbon construction and create spaces that meet modern needs without automatically starting again.

For developers, contractors and clients, the opportunity is clear: before looking at what needs to be demolished, it is worth asking what can be reused, improved and given a longer life.

To learn more or discuss support for your next project, visit our Broadsword Group services page or contact us to arrange a consultation with one of our experts.

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In response, researchers and material innovators are exploring alternatives derived from natural systems. One of the more intriguing developments involves fungal-based materials, specifically mycelium — the root-like network structure of fungi.

Why Mycelium Has Attracted Attention

Mycelium functions as a natural binding agent. When cultivated under controlled conditions on organic substrates, it can form lightweight composite materials requiring far less energy to produce than many traditional construction products.

Because these materials grow rather than being manufactured through high-temperature processes, they are often discussed in the context of lower embodied carbon. Organisations such as the UK Green Building Council continue to emphasise the importance of material innovation in reducing lifecycle emissions.

This shift reflects a broader industry conversation around sustainability rather than a single technological breakthrough.

Emerging Innovators and the Commercialisation of Mycelium Technologies

While mycelium-based materials are still developing within mainstream construction, several specialist innovators are working to move fungal technologies from laboratory research into commercially viable applications. Companies such as Mycocycle have attracted industry attention for exploring how fungal processes might be used to transform waste streams into reusable material inputs.

Rather than positioning fungi purely as a replacement for conventional materials, this line of research often focuses on resource efficiency and circularity. The concept is less about growing entire buildings and more about using biological systems to repurpose materials that would otherwise contribute to landfill or emissions-heavy disposal methods.

What makes developments in this area noteworthy is the broader shift they represent. Construction and manufacturing industries have historically relied on extraction and high-energy processing. Fungal technologies, by contrast, suggest alternative production pathways grounded in biological growth and regeneration.

As with many emerging material innovations, practical adoption will depend on performance validation, scalability, and regulatory alignment. Even so, these advancements illustrate how unconventional ideas are increasingly influencing conversations around sustainability and long-term material strategy.

Environmental Promise With Realistic Expectations

Fungal-derived composites offer several theoretical environmental advantages. They can be produced from renewable feedstocks, utilise waste streams, and naturally decompose at end of life. Compared with extraction-heavy materials, this represents a fundamentally different production model.

Research bodies and regulatory organisations, including the British Standards Institution, highlight how emerging materials must balance environmental benefits with long-term performance requirements.

While promising, mycelium materials remain largely associated with insulation, panelling, and experimental applications rather than structural systems.

Practical Constraints Remain Central

Despite growing interest, mycelium composites are not yet viable replacements for core structural materials. Durability, moisture sensitivity, and strength limitations remain active areas of research.

This reality mirrors many emerging construction technologies. Innovations often progress gradually as testing, certification, and standards evolve — themes explored in Understanding Building Regulations in the UK: What You Need to Know.

Why This Matters for Modern Construction Projects

Even if fungal materials remain niche, their development signals a wider transformation in construction thinking. Growth-based and regenerative resources represent a notable departure from traditional extraction-driven models.

For contractors engaged in interior fit out, refurbishment, and finishing trades such as plastering or dry lining, awareness of emerging materials is increasingly relevant. Sustainability considerations now influence design decisions, client expectations, and long-term asset performance.

Broader industry shifts affecting workplace environments are discussed in Top 10 Trends Shaping Office Fit Outs in 2025, while evolving delivery models are explored in The Future of Prefabrication in Construction.

Innovation Often Emerges Alongside Practical Methods

Material innovation rarely replaces established techniques overnight. Instead, new approaches develop alongside proven systems such as screeding, raised access flooring, and acoustic solutions, each of which continues to play a critical role in building performance.

Cold-weather performance challenges, for example, remain a persistent consideration regardless of material choice — a topic covered in Building Through the Cold: How We Keep Construction Moving in Winter and Planning Ahead: How to Prepare Construction Projects for Winter.

Conclusion

Mycelium-based materials are unlikely to displace conventional construction materials in the immediate future, but their emergence highlights an important industry trajectory. Sustainable construction increasingly depends on innovation, adaptability, and openness to alternative solutions.

For businesses operating within evolving regulatory, environmental, and performance frameworks, understanding these developments is becoming as important as mastering established methods.

To learn more or discuss support for your next project, visit our Broadsword Group services page or contact us to arrange a consultation with one of our experts.

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Air pollution is a key concern for the construction industry due to the sector’s considerable impact on air quality.

•Less than a quarter of all air pollution-related deaths are in London, so it is clear that air pollution is everyone’s problem.

•Construction sites are responsible for 7.5% of nitrogen oxide emissions, 8% of large particle emissions and 14.5% of emissions of the most dangerous fine particles.

•The construction sector mostly contributes to air pollution through construction dust, plant machinery and construction transport.

•The industry is taking steps to reduce air pollution through air quality plans, emissions monitoring, dust management, low-emission plant machinery, delivery management and raising workforce awareness.

Air quality plans

At the outset of a large project or one adjacent to sensitive receptors, it is important to incorporate air quality considerations into the management and logistics plans. These can include the following:

•Where the risk of dust is deemed to have a negative impact on amenity, health and the natural environment – relative to site-specific factors such as proximity to sensitive receptors – an Air Quality Assessment may be required. This assessment should identify the level of risk to air quality during each stage of the project.

•Air Quality and Dust Management Plans should outline the steps being taken to mitigate the adverse impact of construction activities on air quality.

•In preparing Construction Logistics Plans, contractors should engage with their client/developers to demonstrate how they will deal with pollution issues during construction. This can include the controls and systems outlined in the above documents and traffic/delivery considerations.

Monitoring

It is difficult to assess a site’s impact on air quality if no monitoring is carried out, so sites could consider the following:

•Baseline monitoring of air quality levels in the vicinity of the works before the project commences will act as a reference point to identify good and bad practice throughout the project.

•Dust emissions should be monitored through specialised machinery, visual inspections, daily dust logs etc.

•Continuous air quality and particulate monitoring will alert the contractor to any rapid increases in pollutant concentrations, so that mitigation measures can be put in place.

While 84% of survey respondents acknowledge there is an issue with air pollution in the construction industry, nearly two thirds (64%) feel the industry is not doing enough to tackle this issue.

The survey, which involved over 600 respondents from across the UK and Irish construction industries, also revealed:

•91% said air pollution is a nationwide issue.

•88% said the importance of minimising air pollution is being communicated to the workforce on their site.

•62% said their site has appropriate measures in place to address air pollution.

•56% have a good or detailed understanding of air pollution.

•39% have an average understanding of the regulations surrounding air pollution.

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy said:

A staggering 40,000 deaths a year are linked to air pollution in the UK, and many people are suffering long-term health problems caused by poor air quality. As construction is a significant contributor to air pollution, it is essential for the industry to put measures in place to clean up our air by working together to reduce our impact on air quality.

The Scheme’s ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign provides everyone within the industry access to a practical suite of resources including best practice, guidance and case studies from Scheme-registered construction sites, companies and suppliers on how to tackle this issue, as well as guidance from organisations including the Institute of Air Quality Management, Healthy Air Campaign and the Greater London Authority.

We are proud to be at the forefront of collaborative efforts to tackle air pollution, having partnered with the Institution of Civil Engineers to produce Scheme posters for registered sites, companies and suppliers to raise the issue of air pollution to their workforce. The Institution of Civil Engineers has also recognised the value of the industry being committed to the Considerate Constructors Scheme, having highlighted Scheme registration within its London Air Quality Taskforce report published in 2017.

Professor Peter Hansford FREng FICE, Chair of ICE Air Quality Task Force commented:

The Institution of Civil Engineers is delighted to be partnering with the Scheme for the launch of its ‘Spotlight on…air pollution’ campaign. The Scheme offers a golden opportunity for the industry to ‘up its game’ in relation to air quality around our construction sites and is a key driving force in helping to address this issue across the industry.

For the full report please go here:

https://ccsbestpractice.org.uk/spotlight-on/spotlight-on-air-pollution/#Introduction

Sources: cscscheme.org

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Navigant research estimates that the smart building technology market will generate global revenue of $8.5 billion in 2020, up from $4.7 billion in 2016, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.9% over the forecast period.

Smart building technology is expected to grow by 34 percent annually over the next five years, with a prediction of reaching a total market value of nearly $25 billion by the year 2021.

Energy savings and sustainability are the main benefits. Reducing energy costs, increasing productivity of staff and improving building operations are also important.

If a building is not performing to its design standard, this means a smart building should be able to gather information as to why, and adapt accordingly. Interconnected technologies make the building more responsive and ultimately improve its performance.

The fundamentals on construction have not changed significantly for many years. Concrete, timber, glass and brick are still the materials of choice for most contractors. Construction is continually criticised for not being innovative or inventive enough, and advances in other industries have outstripped it. These relatively new technologies could bring about real change.

However, there is a downside. Soon smart buildings and structures will become so automated, they’ll be able to diagnose and make structural and system repairs on their own without the need for humans.

There are always risks with new technology. The advantages are obvious, but there could be additional risks related to cost, delays and materials. The smart building gold standard is moving faster than conventional construction, and the ability to keep up remains to be seen. Its an exciting period on construction, and one that is becoming ever more important in the society that we live in. Going green as much as possible and reducing the carbon footprint as we discussed last month are construction buzz words that investors and designers are interested in.

For further information on smart buildings, The Crystal in London is a great example.

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Eco friendly buildings are on the rise in the UK, and pressure is mounting to build in a more environmentally friendly way – so are we reaching our goal? The number of eco friendly construction companies is growing, and those who haven’t started using these methods may fall behind the times.

One of the main ways to become more environmentally friends is by using better insulation. The best ones, made from recycled material, reduce energy waste and have a low environmental impact. Buildings need to ensure that their hot water, heating, lighting and cooling systems all meet energy efficient measures. Windows, doors, vents and roof lights also need to be draught proofed.

Sustainable materials are also crucial. Cement production is responsible for around half of the industry’s CO2 output because of the energy required to make it, and the chemical reactions that are involved. Choosing an alternative cement that has different chemicals or use different methods such as wood, straw bales and compressed soil, have a much lower carbon footprint than cement.

The old adage of reduce, reuse, recycle is an important message with regards to reducing waste. Making sure that materials are not over ordered and recycling where ever possible is key. Sourcing materials locally is also a plus, because it means that there is less need for transporting them, and using materials that can be packed more efficiently and weigh less mean that energy is saved.

Optimising natural light and using solar power can be a great energy saver. Lighting can account for up to 40% of the energy used in a typical commercial building so making savings here seems obvious.

Water usage can also make savings. Efficient fixtures and appliances can reduce water usage. Reduced flush toilets and rain water harvesting are becoming more popular as people seek to reduce their costs as much as possible.

Passive houses are also becoming more prominent. Passive house is a rigorous, voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, reducing its ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling. Passive House is not a brand name, but a construction concept that can be applied by anyone and that has stood the test of practice.

Carbon reduction is a complex challenge, and companies that can demonstrate green credentials are at the top of the construction sector in the UK. Managing and reducing the carbon footprint is becoming increasingly important in such a fast paced industry as ours.

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