How to Design a More Sustainable Office: 8 Practical Strategies

Those things can all play a part. But a genuinely sustainable office starts much earlier, with decisions about how much space you need, what already exists, what can be retained and how the workplace can adapt as the business changes.

For organisations planning a refurbishment, relocation or new office fit-out, that means looking at the whole life of the workplace rather than simply the materials going into it on day one.

Can existing furniture be reused? Does the current mechanical and electrical infrastructure really need replacing? Can the layout change without another major refurbishment in five years? How much energy will the workplace use once occupied? And, importantly, are you fitting out the right amount of space in the first place?

The strongest sustainable workplaces bring all of those questions together.

Key takeaways

A more sustainable office starts by retaining and reusing what already exists before specifying something new.

Embodied carbon should be considered alongside operational energy when making design and specification decisions.

Flexible layouts, modular furniture and adaptable infrastructure can extend the useful life of a workplace.

Workplace data can help organisations avoid fitting out more space than they genuinely need.

Sustainability certifications such as BREEAM can provide a framework, but they should support good decision-making rather than replace it.

Performance should continue to be measured after occupation through energy, utilisation and employee feedback.

1. Start with what you can retain

One of the most useful questions at the start of any sustainable office fit-out is also one of the simplest: What can we keep?

It is easy to approach a refurbishment by looking at what should be replaced. A more sustainable approach starts in the opposite direction.

Existing furniture, partitions, doors, raised access flooring, ceiling systems, lighting and building services may all have useful life remaining. Retaining them can reduce the volume of new material that needs to be manufactured, transported and installed, while also reducing what is sent to waste.

A useful hierarchy is:

Retain → Reuse → Refurbish → Recycle → Replace

Replacement still has a place. Existing infrastructure may be inefficient, unsuitable or simply unable to support what the organisation needs next. But it should be a considered decision rather than the default.

The potential impact can be significant. In a UK Green Building Council case study of JLL's Manchester office, applying circular-economy principles contributed to a 38% reduction in upfront embodied carbon compared with a standard fit-out baseline. More than 500 items were transferred from the previous office and reused, while existing building services were also retained where possible. [UKGBC – JLL Manchester office fit-out]

This approach can also bring commercial benefits. Reusing existing assets can reduce procurement requirements, shorten lead times and avoid unnecessary replacement costs.

2. Consider embodied carbon as well as operational energy

For a long time, sustainable office design concentrated heavily on what happened once the building was occupied: lighting efficiency, heating, cooling and electricity consumption.

Those factors still matter. But increasingly, organisations also need to consider the carbon generated before the office even opens.

Operational carbon relates to emissions associated with running the workplace.

Embodied carbon relates to emissions associated with the materials and products used to create it, including their manufacture, transportation, installation, maintenance and eventual end of life.

Together, they contribute to the whole-life carbon impact of the workplace.

That distinction matters because replacing something with a more efficient alternative is not automatically the lowest-carbon decision. The environmental cost of manufacturing and installing the replacement also needs to be considered.

This thinking is increasingly reflected in industry standards. BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out Version 7 takes a lifecycle-based approach and places greater emphasis on whole-life carbon, circular materials, operational performance and climate resilience. [BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7]

For occupiers, the question is therefore no longer simply: “Is this product sustainable?”

It is: “What is the most responsible decision across the life of this workplace?”

3. Make sure you are fitting out the right amount of space

There is little value in specifying low-carbon materials throughout an office if a substantial proportion of the space is rarely used.

Understanding how much workplace you genuinely need should therefore form part of the sustainability conversation. Headcount alone is rarely enough.

Organisations should look at peak attendance, desk utilisation, meeting room demand, working patterns, team behaviour and future growth before determining how much space they require. That does not necessarily mean taking a smaller office.

It may reveal that the issue is not the overall square footage but how that space is allocated. An organisation may have rows of underused desks while lacking focus rooms, collaborative environments, project areas or social spaces.

Using workplace data before committing to a brief can help organisations make better use of the square footage they already have and avoid unnecessary additional space. Our blog How Evidence-Based Workplace Design Improves Space Utilisation goes over this in more detail.

It should also form part of the wider workplace strategy. Before committing to a new building or major refurbishment, organisations should understand where the business is going, how people are working and what the workplace needs to enable next.

What a Large Organisation Should Assess Before Developing a Workplace Strategy

4. Design the office to change

A sustainable office should not only work on opening day. It should still work when teams grow, departments change, technology develops and working patterns evolve.

Designing flexibility into the workplace can reduce the need to repeatedly strip out and rebuild space.

That could mean using demountable partitions rather than fixed construction, selecting modular furniture that can be rearranged, designing team neighbourhoods that can expand or contract and providing power and data infrastructure that supports different layouts.

Zoning is particularly important.

Rather than creating an office around a fixed desk-to-person ratio, workplaces can be divided into different environments for focus, collaboration, meetings, social interaction and touchdown working. These spaces can then evolve as behaviour changes.

The Complete Guide to Office Zoning for Hybrid Work

This is where sustainability and futureproofing begin to overlap. The longer a workplace remains useful without major reconstruction, the more value can be extracted from the materials, products and infrastructure already invested in it.

5. Look beyond the finishes

Flooring, furniture and finishes are highly visible elements of an office fit-out, so they naturally receive a lot of attention when sustainability is discussed. But a large part of workplace performance sits behind the walls and ceilings.

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, controls, power and water systems can all influence how efficiently the workplace operates over the long term.

Measures might include occupancy-controlled lighting, daylight sensors, heat recovery, efficient HVAC systems, improved building controls and better monitoring of energy consumption.

But again, replacement should not be automatic.

The project team should consider whether existing systems can be retained, improved or recommissioned before completely new infrastructure is specified.

At Atlas Copco’s 55,000 sq ft headquarters transformation, sustainability formed part of the wider building strategy. The BREEAM Good project incorporated measures including groundwater heat pumps, rainwater harvesting, sensor-controlled lighting and taps, alongside a CLT staircase and extensive use of natural light.

The result demonstrates how sustainability can be considered across the architecture, services, material choices and employee experience of a project rather than being limited to individual products.

6. Be more specific about sustainable materials

“Sustainable material” can mean many different things.

Rather than relying on broad environmental claims, look at the individual characteristics of the product and how it fits into the wider project.

Questions worth asking include:

• Is there recycled content?

• Can the product itself be recycled or reused?

• Is an Environmental Product Declaration available?

• Where is it manufactured?

• How far does it need to travel?

• How durable is it?

• Can individual components be repaired or replaced?

• Does the manufacturer operate a take-back scheme?

• Can it be dismantled cleanly at the end of its current use?

Longevity matters too. A product that lasts significantly longer or can be repaired and reused may ultimately be a better choice than an alternative that appears more environmentally attractive at first glance.

Our CDPQ London project is a good example of considering sustainability alongside design quality. Almost all products used on the project were manufactured in the UK, with only a small number sourced from Sweden and Finland. Around 90% of the flooring finishes were carbon neutral and the ceiling acoustic products were 100% carbon neutral.

The important point is that sustainability did not dictate a particular aesthetic. The office still needed to feel high-quality, distinctive and appropriate for its Soho location. Good sustainable design should not look like a compromise.

7. Design for people as well as the planet

Sustainability is not solely about carbon. A workplace ultimately needs to support the people spending time in it.

Natural light, air quality, thermal comfort, acoustics, access to outdoor space and appropriate materials can all influence workplace experience.

Indoor air quality is a good example of where sustainability and occupant wellbeing overlap. In our latest Designed to Work episode with Francesca Brady, CEO of AirRated, we explore why healthy buildings need to perform well not just on day one, but on day 100 and day 1,000.

At Veeva Systems' London office in the Metropolis building, natural light was considered throughout the design, while recycled PET felt was used within acoustic treatments and much of the furniture was sourced from UK manufacturers to reduce transportation impact.

The workplace was also designed around different working behaviours, providing spaces for collaboration, meetings, quiet work and informal interaction.

That matters because creating a workplace people can use effectively is part of making it sustainable.

An office that looks impressive but fails operationally may need to be changed far sooner than one designed around genuine employee and business requirements.

This is why workplace strategy, wellbeing and sustainability should not be treated as separate conversations.

8. Keep measuring once people move in

Practical completion should not be the end of the sustainability strategy. It is the point where you can finally see how the workplace performs in real life.

Are meeting rooms being used as intended?

Are certain parts of the floorplate consistently empty?

Is energy consumption in line with expectations?

Do employees have the right mix of spaces?

Are building systems performing as designed?

Post-occupancy evaluation, utilisation studies, workplace surveys and building-performance data can help identify where adjustments are needed. But data works best when it is combined with employee insight. In our Designed to Work conversation with ServiceNow, we explored how workplace data can be used alongside feedback and behavioural insight to understand not just whether space is being used, but whether it is actually supporting people and business performance.

Sometimes relatively small changes can improve the way the office operates without another major redesign. It also creates useful evidence for future property and fit-out decisions.

Instead of starting the next workplace project from assumptions, organisations can begin with data from the one they already operate.

What does BREEAM Fit Out V7 mean for office fit-out?

BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7 reflects a broader shift taking place across the industry.

Sustainability is increasingly being considered across the whole lifecycle of an interior, rather than only through individual environmentally preferable products.

BREEAM says the latest standard places emphasis on whole-life carbon and circular material strategies alongside performance-led energy assessment, demand-side management and climate resilience. [BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out]

There are separate pathways for refurbishment and fit-out projects, allowing the assessment to reflect whether a project involves wider building fabric and core services or is primarily focused on an occupier's interior space.

For organisations planning an office project, this can provide a useful framework for setting measurable sustainability ambitions from the start.

But certification should not be the starting point. The first question should still be: What does better performance look like for this particular project?

Refurbish or relocate: which is more sustainable?

There is no universal answer.

Remaining in an existing building can allow an organisation to retain substantial amounts of existing material and infrastructure. But there may also be cases where the building's performance, location, services or layout make long-term occupation difficult.

A new building may offer significantly better energy performance but require a completely new fit-out.

This is why sustainability needs to be considered alongside business requirements, property condition, future growth, workplace utilisation and the overall investment required.

The most sustainable option is not necessarily the newest building or the smallest office.

It is the solution that meets the organisation's requirements with the least unnecessary intervention and can continue doing so for as long as possible.

If you need to make that decision on relocating or refurbishment, a good first step is to start with our blog - Should Our Company Refurbish Its Office or Relocate.

Questions to ask your office fit-out partner about sustainability

If sustainability is an important part of your project brief, ask your fit-out partner how it will influence actual project decisions.

Useful questions include:

• What elements of the existing space could be retained or reused?
• How will embodied carbon influence material and design decisions?
• Can existing furniture be refurbished or incorporated into the new scheme?
• How will the workplace adapt if our requirements change?
• Are products being specified based on whole-life performance?
• Which sustainability certification, if any, is appropriate for the project?
• How can energy demand be reduced?
• How will waste be managed during construction?
• Can performance be measured once we occupy the office?
• What examples can you show where these principles have already been delivered?

Sustainability should be visible in the decision-making process, not simply mentioned in a specification.

When choosing a partner, look at their ability to connect workplace strategy, design, technical delivery, procurement and post-occupancy performance rather than treating each part independently.

A more sustainable office starts before the design

Some of the most important sustainability decisions happen before finishes, furniture or flooring are selected.

They happen when you decide how much space you need. When you determine what can remain. When you decide whether the existing building can support the next stage of the business.

And when you design a workplace capable of changing rather than needing to be rebuilt every time the organisation does.

Sustainability therefore needs to sit alongside workplace strategy, commercial requirements, employee experience and technical performance from the beginning.

At Habit Action, we use workplace strategy, evidence-based design and technical fit-out expertise to help organisations make these decisions before committing to a solution. Because a sustainable workplace is not simply one filled with sustainable products.

It is one that uses less unnecessarily, performs better and continues to work for the business long into the future.

Planning a refurbishment or new office? Our Office Fit-Out Readiness Assessment can help you identify which areas of the project are ready to progress and where more work may be needed before moving into design and delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What makes an office fit-out sustainable?

A sustainable office fit-out considers the environmental impact of the workplace throughout its lifecycle. This includes how much of the existing space can be retained, the embodied carbon of new materials, operational energy use, waste, sourcing, adaptability and what happens to products at the end of their useful life. It should also consider whether the organisation is fitting out the right amount of space in the first place. A sustainable approach therefore begins during workplace strategy and briefing, rather than only when materials are being specified.

How can embodied carbon be reduced during an office fit-out?

Start by avoiding unnecessary replacement. Retaining existing partitions, furniture, flooring, ceilings and building services can prevent carbon associated with manufacturing and transporting new products. Where replacement is required, consider recycled content, Environmental Product Declarations, responsible sourcing, local manufacture, durability and end-of-life options. Designing out unnecessary materials and creating adaptable layouts can also reduce embodied carbon over the longer term.

Is refurbishment more sustainable than relocating?

It can be, particularly where a refurbishment allows substantial elements of the existing building and fit-out to be retained. However, every project is different. An inefficient building with unsuitable services or significant property constraints may require extensive intervention to remain viable. The decision should consider embodied carbon, operational performance, business requirements, lease position, location and long-term adaptability rather than assuming either refurbishment or relocation is automatically the more sustainable choice.

What sustainability certifications apply to office fit-outs?

Common frameworks include BREEAM, SKA and WELL, although they focus on different aspects of building and workplace performance. BREEAM Refurbishment and Fit Out V7 provides specific pathways for commercial refurbishment and occupier fit-out projects and includes considerations around whole-life carbon, energy, circular materials and resilience. The most appropriate framework will depend on the building, project scope, organisation and sustainability objectives.

Can a sustainable office still be high-end?

Absolutely. Sustainability does not require compromising design quality. Material reuse, responsible sourcing, efficient services and adaptable layouts can all be integrated into premium workplace design. Projects such as Habit Action's CDPQ London office show how sustainable specification can sit alongside high-quality finishes, hospitality spaces, bespoke details and a strong architectural identity.