As part of our blog post series for this year’s London Climate Action Week, Areti Makantasi and Laura Wardrope outline the economic and sustainability benefits of circular fit-outs.
As companies seek to meet sustainability targets and manage rising costs, the principles of circularity — reduce waste, reuse what’s in place, and design for future adaptability — are reshaping how office fit-outs are delivered.
The old model of stripping out what’s there and installing a new design, a cycle that’s repeated every few years as leases turn over, has a high carbon and financial cost.
But circular fit-outs turn that model on its head and businesses are increasingly being encouraged to view existing materials not as waste, but as assets — from joinery and partitions to furniture and fixtures.
The commercial benefits are increasingly clear. Reusing elements from previous tenants or refurbishing existing materials can significantly cut costs. In one case, savings of around 75% were achieved simply by retaining the outgoing tenant’s fit-out. In another instance, re-using furniture, fixtures and fittings saved a client over 40%.
Second hand doesn’t mean second best
However, despite the obvious environmental and financial benefits, the shift to circularity is currently limited, held back by a perception that second hand means second best. The lack of industry-wide transparency over second hand materials is also a barrier; if companies cannot find reusable products in the first place, it makes it difficult to embed circular thinking into the early stages of a project.
This is especially critical when it comes to dilapidations where, under traditional lease terms, landlords rip-out the existing fit-out, often regardless of condition, leading to unnecessary waste and cost. A circular approach would start with a fit-out that’s designed for future flexibility, with reuse built in from the outset.
From sustainability ambition to industry standard
As confidence grows and more projects deliver measurable results, circular fit-outs will move from a sustainability ambition to industry standard. Major occupiers are already starting to set targets for reducing their embodied carbon and waste, and some forward-thinking landlords are recognising the value in retaining quality interiors to attract incoming tenants.
While the infrastructure to support a fully circular system is still evolving, platforms that track available reused materials are beginning to scale, helping bridge the supply gap.
In the meantime, incremental progress can make all the difference. Even keeping a single component or rethinking how materials are sourced can have a meaningful impact on waste and costs.
Successfully moving to this circular model depends heavily on early planning and alignment across teams — from leasing and sustainability to design and project delivery — and getting it right could mark a major shift in how workspaces are designed and managed.
The most effective projects treat fit-outs not as end products but as part of an ongoing loop, where today’s design informs tomorrow’s reuse. It’s an approach that reflects the changing world of work and the growing demand for spaces that are not just functional, but future-proof.