Gensler and Opportunity London unveil retrofit guide

UK: Gensler and Opportunity London have launched a guide, called Retrofit at Scale, aimed at expediting the adoption of retrofit schemes in the UK. 

The guide supports Opportunity London’s mission of creating £100 billion in capital investment for low-carbon real estate, energy and infrastructure projects. 

Developed with input from representatives of Civic, LS Estates, ARUP, NLA, the Mayor of London’s office and Arcadis, with contributions from Domna Homes, London Councils and AGP, the guide identified key barriers to retrofit adoption and proposes solutions to drive change in the industry. 

Harry Cliffe-Roberts, global building transformation & adaptive reuse leader and principal for Gensler, said: “With the growing urgency of the climate crisis, alongside shifting economic conditions and evolving social expectations, recognising the value of retrofit has never been more important. Together with Opportunity London and a specialist group of advisors, we developed Retrofit at Scale to shift the status quo and catalyse retrofit as a leading, attractive solution for a more sustainable urban future.” 

The guide outlines five key areas to overcome barriers to retrofitting, which include design and delivery, education, policy, behavior and attitudes and value and demand. Along with the key areas, the guide also highlights how digital tools, policy frameworks and cross-sector education can help retrofit become a credible alternative to demolition and rebuilding projects, especially with nearly 40 per cent of annual carbon emissions coming from the building industry. 

Chief executive officer of Opportunity London, Jace Tyrrell, said: “The ambition around retrofit is real, but unlocking private capital at scale has remained a major hurdle. Investors tell us they want to back retrofit, but only if there’s a credible, consistent path to delivery. This guide provides that path. It offers a framework the industry can align around, giving investors the confidence they need to commit capital and drive momentum across London and the UK. Sustainability considerations now shape decision-making for over three-quarters of investors, yet without scalable solutions, capital won’t flow. According to JLL, an estimated $1.2tn in global capital expenditure will be needed to bring end-of-life office assets up to modern standards, with up to 30% of European offices at risk of obsolescence over the next five years. Retrofit is essential to protect long-term value and keep cities investable.” 

To build momentum, the guide calls for standardising the definition of retrofit across the industry, creating a transparent data ecosystem, developing financial models to reduce investment risk and encouraging stronger demand signals from tenants and occupiers.

With this guide, Gensler and Opportunity London aim to make retrofit a practical, scalable and sustainable solution, preserving long-term asset value, while addressing the climate crisis. 

Highlighting: 

• Gensler and Opportunity London have launched Retrofit at Scale, a guide designed to accelerate retrofit adoption across the UK.
• The guide supports a £100 billion investment goal for low-carbon real estate, energy and infrastructure projects. 
• The guide identifies five key focus areas: design and delivery, education, policy, behavior and attitudes and value and demand.
• Retrofit is positioned as a sustainable alternative to demolition, essential to cutting carbon emissions from the built environment. 
• The guide provides a framework to help unlock private capital, standardise retrofit practices and reduce investment risk.