Decision-making criteria to aid energy-led refurbishment of existing office buildings

Pressure is growing upon large businesses to cut their energy consumption and carbon emission levels. Many operate globally within a large and varied property portfolio; often including hard to treat properties. Property portfolio managers (PPMs) within these organisations are faced with the challenge of making informed decisions regarding the optimum energy performance improvement measures (EPIMs) for their existing properties.

This study will identify and evaluate the assessment criteria (AC) that should be used when deciding the suitability of EPIMs within the refurbishment of an existing office building that is classed as hard to treat. The AC will aid the PPMs to make decisions that are informed of the true impact an EPIM will have upon an existing building across the lifecycle of that EPIM.

The final stages of data collection are in progress. Four rounds of online Delphi surveys with a select group of ‘energy in buildings’ experts has been used to establish a defined list of twenty-two AC. The AC range from short term impact (EPIM installation) to long term impact (EPIM operation and disposal) upon the property in question. The Delphi experts are currently in the process of weighting the AC in terms of their relative importance.