Driving sustainability with Refurbishment and Fit Out V7

Our webinar, "Driving sustainability with BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7", was hosted by James Fisher, Head of Strategic Partnerships at BRE. He was joined by Tom Wilson, BREEAM Director at BRE, Dee Korab, Head of Impact at Puma Property Finance, and Dr Ankit Singh, Director of Sustainability at Waterman Group.

The discussion explored how refurbishment and fit out projects present one of the greatest opportunities to enhance the environmental performance of existing buildings. As organisations seek to extend asset life, reduce carbon emissions and create healthier, more resilient spaces, the webinar examined how sustainable refurbishment can support these objectives while delivering wider environmental, social and commercial benefits.

Drawing on expert insights and practical experience, the speakers discussed how BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7 supports project teams throughout the design, construction and post-refurbishment stages. The conversation highlighted how the updated standard enables more informed decision-making, helping organisations improve building performance, reduce environmental impacts and create higher-performing spaces that deliver lasting value.

If you missed the webinar, or would like to watch it again, the recording is now available.

Watch the webinar recording

Discover how BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7 can help maximise asset value, increase resilience, improve risk management, provide portfolio-level insights and verified data, support carbon reduction and enhance occupant
wellbeing.

Download the Benefits of BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out Commercial Version 7 brochure to explore the benefits in more detail.

Download the benefits brochure

Tom Wilson
BREEAM Director at BRE

“We all know that about 80% of the assets that are going to exist in 2050 exist today in the North American, the European markets. Existing assets already have the embodied carbon within them, they get almost a head start in the BREEAM scoring because they are not having to bring new materials in.”

James Fisher
Head of Strategic Partnerships at BRE

“Most of the buildings that we have that will shape environmental outcomes over the coming decade already exist. That means that refurbishment, retrofit and fit out are no longer secondary considerations, they are absolutely central to the industry’s sustainability strategy. The question is no longer about whether refurbishment should play a central role in a sustainable built environment. The question is how we do it better, faster and at greater scale.”

Dee Korab
Head of impact at Puma Property Finance

“It’s not about delivering necessarily more value, it is just a core part of value. The most future-proof asset is one that retains adaptability and flexibility for the future. It’s not just about intentions, it’s about what’s actually getting delivered.”

Dr Ankit Singh
Director of Sustainability at Waterman Group

“The buildability is actually quite key because that’s where you can save costs, you can save carbon, or you can break it. A lot of sustainability consultants like me tend to try to do everything at once. It’s about making the small wins work all the way through a project. What you’ve done, say three, four years ago will not stand up to the scrutiny you’ve got now. Planners are well aware they want retrofits first and then new construction later. So if you are justifying demolition, that has to be captured within your whole life carbon optioneering tools.”