There are over 9 million buildings in the Netherlands. We could increase the sustainability of a large proportion of them significantly. Or they could be left to deteriorate until they need to be demolished and replaced by newbuilds. How useful would that be?
Most buildings can be constructed for a cost of between € 700 and € 2,900 per m2 of gross floor area. And demolished for under € 50 per m2. Demolition costs are roughly equal to the cost of commercial exploitation of the building for one year. Demolition is relatively cheap and the choice for newbuild is therefore perhaps a good option.
Existing real estate has its limitations. Buildings that are 30 years old are usually no longer suitable for their current purpose. Many people and companies desire changes to their buildings over time. This is usually the case after about 15 years.
It is notable that changing circumstances do often not lead to big changes to a building. Buildings are often simply managed as they have been from the outset without the realisation that they are being used very differently. How should they know that anyway? Who keeps tabs on how a building is being used?
Buildings for life.
Measurements of use and occupancy of space show that many m2 are not used effectively. For example, offices with an occupancy level of just 50%. And if people can also work from home, as has been the case in recent months, enormous efficiency gains can be made in respect of use of space, costs and environmental footprint. How you can work towards this? By taking measurements. I am surprised every organisation with a building with a gross floor area of over 5,000 m2 does not equip it with multifunctional sensors that provide integral information about the building and use thereof.
Emotion is often the catalyst for renovations, relocation or conversions. The idea that there is a shortage of space, the sense that a new building will help the people or the company get ahead. Very often, this is not based on facts.
With a full picture of the functioning and use of the building, you can optimise use of space by over 30% and reduce facilities costs accordingly. This can have a huge impact on operating costs and more importantly, on sustainability. You cannot argue with that.
Want to know more about optimisation of building use and facilities costs? I would be delighted to assist.
More information? Contact us: Contact@enappgy.com, or call: +31 (0) 33 200 31 99