Essay
Building in Edinburgh
- Module
- Theories and Methods
- Institution
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh (HW)
Essay on the environmental implications of a building in Edinburgh
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ARGYLE HOUSENet-Zero Case Study
GROUP 30
Bradley Borland, Tasneem Hemora, Aneeka Dewan, Connel Greenhorn
, Introduction
In today’s climate, net-zero is becoming a much more prevalent concept in dealing with the way people
on this earth view climate change and the effect it has on our planet. The Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) states that net-zero is the “anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere which are balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified period.” (Sailors, n.d.). A
net-zero building produces no carbon emissions during its construction and operation. Three key factors
are considered when measuring the operational carbon emissions of a building: net zero in operation,
net-zero in construction, and net-zero in whole-life carbon. Currently, in the UK, 40% of carbon
emissions are generated from buildings and the UK’s aims to achieve Net-Zero Carbon by 2050; 80%
of the buildings we need in 2050 already exist or are in development (WSP, n.d.). This indicates the
greatest opportunity to minimise energy consumption is in retrofitting existing buildings, especially as
they have the highest potential for energy savings due to their often-inefficient systems and designs that
are not considerate of the climate (Tokede, et al., 2007). Studying this is vital in reducing the Scotland's
carbon emissions to achieve their goal of achieving Net Zero Carbon. A study has shown that
refurbished sustainable buildings perform better than sustainable new offices (Dimitrokali, 2015). This
is likely due to the low embodied carbon of building fabric over the years combined with low
operational carbon emissions due to efficient systems and operations.
The net-zero targets by 2050 was accepted worldwide as the solution to mitigating climate change by
adhering to keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, thus preventing significant damage to
the environment (Quinio, Rodrigues, 2021). As the next generation of urban planners, geographers, or
engineers, in-depth knowledge of achieving and sustaining net-zero on existing buildings is one of the
most important things that can be done. This case study will explore Argyle House, a 1960s office block
in the brutalist architectural style, situated in Central Edinburgh near the Grassmarket and at the foot of
the castle. This report will discuss the topics of how the building performs in current conditions and
how it has been assessed including the key characteristics of the building, and what can be done to
improve the situation of the building with regards to being closer to net-zero. An in-depth analysis will
be carried out on the seven-step review process outlined by LETI in the Climate Emergency Design
Guide (LETI, 2022) and how the building compares to these metrics, and then suggestions will be given
on how this building can achieve a closer to net-zero rating.
Case Study Outline- Argyle House
Argyle House is an office building located in Edinburgh's financial exchange district at the heart of the
city centre, shown in Figure 1. The building has 11 floors with a gross floor area of 20,472m2 and is
oriented south with longer facades facing north and south. The office consists of open plans with some
private meeting rooms facing south. The building is privately owned by different companies, and the
main occupier is Telereal Trillium. It has been partially occupied since 2004 but has faced a decrease
in occupancy by approximately 30% in 2012 compared to 2004. This has likely increased after the
refurbishment in 2020 but no data was found on changes in occupancy (Dimitrokali, 2015).
Figure 1: Argyle House
The building was first designed in 1961 and has an EPC rating C as of 2020, and therefore refurbishment
offers large potential for improvement to reduce energy consumption by analysing its current
performance and suggesting improvements to achieve net-zero carbon.
1
Group 30
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