Sandbox from Buro Happold

Retrofit: Can you define it? Sandbox FOMO5 1, from Ep.06

‘It needs to be a very broad definition of making changes to keep a building occupied, relevant, and as efficient as possible’: How can ‘retrofit’ be defined? Find out more in our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode... 

The definition of ‘retrofit’ has evolved over time – and even to this day the interpretations vary. In our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode, ‘Revolution in Retrofit: Beyond Bricks for a Greener Future’, we asked our panel to distill their own definitions of the term.  

Ana Araujo, Partner and UK Facades Group Leader, discussed how, “...in 2024, there’s still some debate on what retrofit means.  

“For me, it needs to be a very broad definition of making changes to keep a building occupied, relevant and as efficient as possible.” 

Our special guest in this episode, Gillian Darley OBE, highlighted the success story of the Bartlett School of Architecture, which transformed a 1970s building into a thriving space, proving that structures can be revitalised. 

Darren Conboy, Associate, Buro Happold noted how each project presents unique opportunities, saying: “I think the aspect that's most meaningful to me about it is the buildings which have fallen out of use, they used to have a real kind of meaningful day to day use for people and then for whatever reason that's ended. 

“And it's tempting to think that's the end of the building's life, but a lot of times these buildings do still have a promising future via retrofit.” 

Listen to the full FOMO5 episode to find out more...  

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.   

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).   

Ep.06: ‘Revolution in Retrofit’: Beyond Bricks for a Greener Future

From historic structures to more contemporary developments, how could our buildings be retrofitted to stand the test of time for future generations? And how will they be used? These ideas, and more, are explored in our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode... 

Whether it is ‘refurbishment’ or ‘repurposing’, there are many terms to describe the concept of ‘retrofit’. With the UK’s net zero targets in mind, there are various ways in which the built environment can reduce its impact on the climate, with one example being retrofitting viable existing buildings, and material re-use (in other words, the circular economy).  

Retrofit is also crucial in preserving heritage buildings which are so vital to the identities of our towns and cities across the UK. With a whole host of other benefits to consider - from reducing possible risk, regenerating areas through considered interventions, to giving a building an entirely new purpose that opens it up to the community - retrofit has so many opportunities for everyone involved in the process.  

Episode 06 of ‘Sandbox’ - ‘Revolution in Retrofit: Beyond Bricks for a Greener Future’ explores these ideas, and many more.  

Joining our regular host Andy Duncan, are Buro Happold experts Ana Araújo, Partner and UK Facades Group Leader, and Darren Conboy, Associate, Structures. Our special guest in this episode is Gillian Darley OBE, a leading architectural historian, writer and broadcaster with a background in conservation, who has written books such as Excellent Essex, and featured on television with shows including Channel 4's Built in Britain and BBC2's The Man Who Fought the Planners.  

Subscribe to the whole series; Sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.  

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold). 

 

Beyond Bricks for a Greener Future: Upcoming Ep.06 - 'Revolution in Retrofit'

Retrofit, Refurbishment, Restoration: What actually is retrofit and how does repurposing older buildings keep them current and in use for future generations? Find out more in our upcoming ‘Sandbox’ episode... 

Our buildings are integral parts of the places in which we live. Whether they be heritage buildings which have stood for hundreds of years, or newer buildings from the last decade, they are all embedded into the fabric of our towns and cities across the UK.  

Retrofitting is a hot topic of conversation in our industry at the moment. From material re-use and carbon savings to the ‘domino’ effect of how a good retrofit can influence the regeneration of a whole area, there are many reasons why retrofitting is crucial. But what actually is retrofit, and how is it implemented on a practical scale?  

Many of these ideas, and more, will be explored in our upcoming episode of ‘Sandbox’ - ‘Revolution in Retrofit.’ Joining our regular host, Andy Duncan, will be Buro Happold experts Ana Araujo, Partner, and Darren Conboy, Associate. Our special guest in this episode is Gillian Darley, a leading architectural historian, writer and broadcaster with a background in conservation. 

Listen to the trailer to get a flavour of what will be discussed, and keep an ‘ear’ out for the full episode on the 31st October.  

From SMART Technology to retrofitting, what solutions do we have now to make our UK buildings more resilient against climate change? Sandbox FOMO5 2, from Ep.05

‘We have most of the solutions we need already, if we only were brave enough collectively to use those’: From SMART Tech to retrofit, what solutions are we already utilising to help prepare our UK building stock for the effects of climate change? Find out in this week’s ‘Sandbox’ FOMO5…

Technology, along with both active and passive solutions to adapt our buildings, are current methods being used to prepare our buildings across the UK for the effects of climate change and extreme weather.

Tom Newby, Director, Structures, Buro Happold, discussing the different contributors to a passive solution, noted how the most important element is the fabric of the building, and that, “a well-insulated building could have thick walls and the small windows to control energy gain and energy loss.”

Smith Mordak, our special guest in this episode, also discussing passive solutions, said: “A fun way I like to remember it is that a passive solution will work in a power cut.”   

Listen to the full FOMO5 episode to find out more... 

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.  

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).  

What can the individual do to be more comfortable inside during extreme weather? Sandbox FOMO5 1, from Ep.05

What can we do to be more comfortable inside during extreme weather? From cooling down in the more extreme summer temperatures, to staying warmer in winter – all without relying on fossil fuels. Find out more in this week’s ‘Sandbox’ FOMO5... 

From understanding more about our buildings to changing behaviours around the way we consume energy, there’s something we can all do to create better conditions within our indoor environments during extreme weather – from artic blasts to heatwaves.  

In our latest Sandbox episode, our panel explored this idea, and gave insights into what the individual can do by understanding more about insulating our homes and our energy usage, not only to make our buildings more comfortable but also to help mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Joining our regular host Andy Duncan in this episode, are Buro Happold experts Lara Balazs, Cities Energy Associate, and Tom Newby, Director, Structures. Our special guest in this episode is Smith Mordak, Chief Executive at UKGBC and an architect, engineer, and writer, who regularly contributes to national and trade press including the Guardian, Financial Times, Dezeen, and The Architect’s Journal.  

Listen to the full FOMO5 episode to find out more...  

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.   

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).  

Ep.05: 'Weathering Heights': How can we prepare our UK buildings for the effects of climate change?

Have you ever thought about how climate change affects your home and other buildings across the UK? Find out more in our latest ‘Sandbox’ episode... From heatwaves to Arctic Blasts, we’re seeing more extreme weather events than ever before – so how can we keep warm in the colder winters, and cooler during intense heat, without falling back on fossil fuels? 

In our latest episode, ‘Weathering Heights: How can we prepare our UK buildings for the effects of climate change?’, our panel examines the unpredictable and constantly changing weather in the UK. Although the UK's summer of 2024 was cooler compared to previous years, June 2023 set records for heat, and 2022 saw the country’s highest temperature at 40.3°C. Globally, heatwaves have been making headlines, and it seems the weather has been surprising everyone. 

In order to prepare our UK building stock for this ever-changing weather and the continued effects of climate change, our guests discuss the situation at hand and propose potential solutions, from SMART technology, to retrofitting our existing buildings, to heating and cooling networks and efficient energy conservation.  

Our panel also discusses the role the individual can play to help mitigate the effects of climate change across our buildings in the UK, through mutual cooperation, building physics education and introducing more sustainable energy sources into our everyday lives.   

Joining our regular host Andy Duncan in this episode, are Buro Happold experts Lara Balazs, Cities Energy Associate, and Tom Newby, Director, Structures. Our special guest in this episode is Smith Mordak, Chief Executive at UKGBC and an architect, engineer, and writer, who regularly contributes to national and trade press including the Guardian, Financial Times, Dezeen, and The Architect’s Journal. 

Subscribe to the whole series; Sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour. 

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold). 

How SMART tech could lower grid capacity and identify building overheating risks: Upcoming Ep.05 ‘Weathering Heights’

How could SMART technologies regulate our building temperatures and reduce demand for grid capacity, whilst preparing our UK buildings for the effects of climate change? Find out more in our upcoming ‘Sandbox’ episode... 

In the UK, a significant topic of discussion is around how we reduce the heat demand of our buildings, and switching from heating by fossil fuels, to using electricity instead. In our changing climate, we also need to increase discussion around managing the overheating of our buildings.

Lara Balazs, Cities Energy Associate, Buro Happold, discusses how the design and operation of buildings can make a real difference in our cooling burden, especially through the use of SMART technologies, such as ambient loops.

Listen to the trailer and keep an ‘ear’ out for our upcoming episode, ‘Weathering Heights’, where all of this and more will be discussed, at the end of September.

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.  

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).

Heatwaves and Arctic Blasts – how will we cope? Upcoming Ep.05 ‘Weathering Heights’

Climate change is currently resulting in the UK experiencing increases in temperature and more frequent heatwaves, but also spikes in cold weather.  

Lara Balazs, Associate, Cities Energy, Buro Happold, discusses how we could look at refurbishing our existing building stock in the UK to meet the needs of our changing climate. Due to a reliance on passive measures, such as opening windows, we now need to look at education around building physics to make people more comfortable during extreme weather spikes. 

Listen to the episode trailer and keep an ‘ear’ out for our upcoming episode, ‘Weathering Heights’, where all of this and more will be discussed, at the end of September.

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.  

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).  

 

How can we all play a part in creating a more sustainable future? Sandbox FOMO5, from Ep.04

One of the key takeaways from ‘Sandbox’ so far, is the power of the individual to collectively help mitigate the impact of climate change.  

Our latest episode - ‘Life’s essentials: Water, Power and Plants’, covers unmissable moments explored in each episode so far, from why we’ve got to where we are now, what local authorities, professionals and even the individual can contribute to improving the situation we find ourselves in now.  

From water butts to adding more plants into our homes, our experts and guests examine and propose potential solutions to the various challenges we face today. 

This episode features all of our Buro Happold experts and external guests so far, and of course our regular host, Andy Duncan.   

Listen to the full FOMO5 episode to find out more...   

Subscribe to the whole series; sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.    

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).    

Ep.04: 'Life's essentials: Water, Power and Plants'

‘Sandbox’ so far: Revisiting thought-provoking ideas on what could be done to roll back some of the negative impact human activity has had on the Earth’s ecosystem... 

Over the last three episodes, we have explored some of the main aspects of the fundamentals of life within the built environment; from water and its management in the UK, to biodiversity and re-greening our cities, and finally, to our third episode, which explores energy sources. The panels discussed what has led us to this crucial turning point, and what the future of truly sustainable energy could look like, without further damaging the only planet we have! 

Our latest episode ‘Life’s Essentials: Water, Power and Plants’ covers unmissable moments explored in each episode so far, from why we’ve got to where we are now, what local authorities, professionals and even the individual can contribute to improving the situation we find ourselves in now. 

We each have a certain responsibility in this process, even tiny changes of habits build exponentially with more people involved. Our experts and guests examine and propose potential solutions to the various challenges we face today. 

This episode features all of our Buro Happold experts and external guests so far, and of course our regular host, Andy Duncan. 

Here’s a helpful navigation list to the full episode below: 

• 9:12 - Reimagining urban spaces and the role of nature.  
• 12:37 - Water management solutions in urban areas.  
• 13:31 - A multi-source approach to energy transition. 
• 16:48 - Challenges and potential of the Electrify Everything Strategy 
• 20:02 - Pros and cons of a two-tier water system. 
• 27:20 - Nature-based solutions and multifunctional infrastructure.  
• 29:47 - The power of collective curiosity in inciting real change.  

Subscribe to the whole series; Sometimes we’ll tackle a subject head on, sometimes a sideways view - but always with curiosity, expertise and maybe even a dash of humour.   

This podcast series is brought to you by Buro Happold (https://buro.im/BuroHappold).