I applaud a bank's eco-activism in Docklands but lament the wastefulness of energy-ignorant refurbishment
My wonder is One Cabot Square in London Docklands.

Built in the early 1990s, it provides 900,000 ft2 of prestigious office accommodation to investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston.

CSFB is a great example of a company pursuing a responsible environmental policy.

It is continually striving to reduce energy consumption and cut carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. The bank set itself the target of improving its energy performance 10% annually, and in 2002, it won the inaugural Powergen energy management award.

One Cabot Square shows what is possible when you have full support from senior management and a programme of continual improvement – in short, a real commitment to the improvement of energy efficiency standards.

My blunder is the many refurbishments that take no account of crucial environmental issues. These are missed opportunities, and they will lead to a growth in energy use and an increase in emissions. Such refurbishment are storing up trouble for the future. Now is the time to think about what kind of reputation your building will have – and to make energy efficiency a priority.

Postscript

Terry Wyatt is partner and head of research and development at Hoare Lea Consulting Engineers, and president of CIBSE.