An assessment of carbon emissions from retail fit-out in the United Kingdom

Sustainability is increasingly being utilised as a marketing tool by retailers concerned with understanding and disseminating the whole life impact of buildings and focusing on declaration of the greenhouse gas (GHG), Carbon Footprint or business CO 2 emissions, waste reduction and recycling. Commercial fit-out design for retail use has a uniquely short design life and replacement cycle of typically 2–10 years. Traditionally, the financial cost of this practice has been managed by matching product performance with anticipated design life and concepts following fashion trends and brand image to dictate changing specifications. The highlighting of issues of embodied energy, waste, energy efficiency and reuse in the design process may have a role to play in modifying behaviour and practice. Quantifying emissions from materials waste and operation of retail buildings is the key to this argument. This article demonstrates the potential for savings, and dispels some of the myths surrounding specification and use of surface finishes in a retail setting. It is proposed that utilising whole life cycle methodology can support the decision-making process to reduce emissions from the global construction industry supply chain. The article will be of interest for commercial designers, their clients and supply chains.