Up to half of the carbon a new building will ever emit is spent before anyone moves in: in cement, steel and transport. Keeping an existing structure avoids most of that.
What retrofit can achieve
On our Clifton Terrace project, energy use fell by 61% without touching the street elevation. Careful insulation, airtightness and a heat pump did the heavy lifting.
When it does not work
Some buildings are beyond economic repair. But the bar should be high, and the decision should be based on a whole-life carbon assessment, not habit.
