VIDEO | How retrofitting can drive Midlands growth and regeneration

The Midlands is seeing a real shift towards a “reuse first” strategy – and it could unlock significant cost, carbon and regeneration benefits for the region, according to Curtins’ Birmingham business unit director Andy Godber.

Godber says the Midlands has a wealth of underused public sector buildings, including council offices, healthcare facilities and university estates, which present opportunities for refurbishment and repurposing rather than demolition and rebuild. He also argues that retaining existing structures can deliver cost and programme savings while significantly reducing embodied carbon.

However, retrofitting older buildings requires a different approach to new-build projects – not least because incomplete records and unknown structural issues often demand detailed investigations.

Curtins is an employee-owned consultancy providing structural and civil engineering, transport planning, sustainability, environmental and infrastructure services. Founded in 1960, the company employs around 400 people across the UK and Ireland, with the firm’s Birmingham office serving clients across the Midlands.

Learn more about Curtins at curtins.com