Aiming for net zero in legacy buildings. DDT’s Director, Jim Read, co-hosts a round table discussion about the opportunities and challenges of retrofitting smart technologies.
What’s smarter now?
The need to accommodate technology in buildings to satisfy the growing demands of occupants is well documented. Building users and maintainers expect fully competent, flexible, and reliable services to support their activities.
Not so well researched is the comparison between new-build and retrofit. With an increasing number of older buildings now suitable for re-fit or modernisation, questions are being asked about the role of technology in proving the case for retrofit. Key among these questions are:
- Is retrofit justifiable?
- Is it cost attractive versus new build?
- Is the technology suitable and good enough?
- Are there sufficient skills and experience?
To explore this, DDT Director, Jim Read co-hosted a round table session in central London attended by developers, property agents and owner occupiers. Discussion topics emerging from the four key questions included:
- What is different about Retrofit projects and how are they similar to New Build ones?
- Who owns the "Smart" agenda and is this different for Retrofit?
- Where does the design process for technology start and is the available technology suitable for retrofit?
- How can retrofit of emerging technologies be quantified and ROI measured?
- How do we build more appetite and understanding of the benefits of Smart Buildings?
- Is the pace of technology running ahead of our ability to understand and harness all the opportunities from the data generated?
- What are the challenges to adopting emerging technologies and capturing the potential benefits?
- What next, eg: Common understanding between all stakeholders? Collaboration around a common goal? Set of accepted principles, frameworks, guides?
Some interesting comments and ideas emerged from the round table debate - and not just about retrofit:
- It's clear that there is a skill set gap for operating smart buildings.
- Tech for the sake of tech does not work.
- Better user experience and more change management is needed.
- Multi-tenant spaces are far harder to get right than owner/occupier buildings.
- Building operators are struggling with new tech and don't have the data skills to leverage the information they are getting from smart building technology.
- More post occupancy studies are needed.
- Too many projects go live, then everyone walks away.
An article in Smart Buildings Magazine selected four of the top key takeaways from the discussions and conversations. Read about how to build more appetite and understanding around retrofitting buildings and the benefits of introducing smart technologies.
Retrofitting buildings and the drive towards net zero
