Bridging the fit-out gap

Bridging the fit-out gap: Exploring the relationship between tenants and landlords to enable circular practices in office buildings

Fierens, Tim (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)

Remøy, H.T. (mentor)
Danivska, V. (mentor)
Schraven, D.F.J. (mentor)
Volkers, Pegah (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Management in the Built Environment

2024-06-18

Sustainable development faces substantial challenges, with the built environment emerging as a major contributor to resource consumption. Office retrofitting, commonly known as changing the office fit out, is a common process in corporate real estate and accentuates these challenges due to its linear model of extraction, production, consumption, and disposal of building materials. This model leads to considerable waste and greenhouse gas emissions. This research examines the inefficiencies of the current linear model and explores transitioning to a circular office fit-out, which aims to minimise resource use and waste. The study focuses on the tenant-landlord relationship in corporate real estate, as these stakeholders are crucial for enabling circular fit-outs. The research question addressed is: “How can the tenant-landlord relationship facilitate the process from a traditional to a circular fit-out in office buildings?” Mixed methods, including literature review, case study documentation, and interviews, were used. What was found was that the relationship can enable circular practices if the stakeholders show positive behaviour, expertise, commitment, share information and communicate well, have a promoting business strategy around the fit-out product, and are pushed by society. Furthermore, the lease agreement showed to be crucial, and could enable circular practices even more than the actual fit-out design. Although these mentioned relationship determinants and arrangements are important, the research showed it is important to recognise the stakeholders individual responsibility towards circular practices. The research concludes with recommendations towards each stakeholder.

Tenant
Landlord
Relationship
Circularity
Office
Fit-Out

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b9ba4737-d84d-446a-9f9b-6a73a79ea2d0

Student theses

master thesis

© 2024 Tim Fierens