ABSTRACT
Degraded and dysfunctional existing buildings are harder to rent and sell, and are extremely costly to run. Even so, the best option is to make the best of what exists by upgrading rather than starting again from scratch; something that individuals can do without needing to be part of a larger scheme. The capital cost of ‘re-skinning’ a structure can be repaid by a reduction in energy costs, or in the case of commercial real estate, an increase in rent prices. This point is relevant as businesses are often less keen on renting older buildings, even though they are offered at competitive rent. Compared to a total rebuilding, the embodied CO2 of the existing building structure and fit-out is retained and the cost of finding alternative temporary accommodation for existing occupants is avoided. An acoustically isolated fireproof self-contained room with walls and ceilings was built, with the window apertures of the existing glazed window wall sealed.
