When it comes to real estate, what is new is so often seen as better. But, when it comes to the future of our planet, that is not completely the case.

The bias towards new buildings — even when they are highly sustainable — can mean opportunities for the repurposing and reuse of existing buildings are overlooked. But we will not be able to reach net zero without decarbonising existing buildings in addition to building new, sustainable ones.

By retaining the embodied carbon in an existing building, refurbishment can greatly reduce the carbon emissions of a development, while delivering more sustainable and energy-efficient homes that are fit for the future. The sustainable refurbishment of existing buildings is now rightly moving up the political agenda across Europe, evidenced by the European Green Deal.

To tackle the climate emergency, we need to find more ways to encourage and incentivise this practice and ensure landlords, developers and asset managers co