Why circular fit-outs make environmental and commercial sense

As firms look to reduce both carbon emissions and costs, circular principles are starting to reshape office fit-outs. It’s simple in theory: reduce waste, reuse what’s already in place and design for future adaptability. But, in practice, this challenges deeply embedded processes across commercial real estate leasing, design, procurement and project delivery.

"It’s early days but there is a growing interest from occupier clients to understand how they can embed circularity in practice and what the benefits are,” says Areti Makantasi, Director of Sustainable Asset Services, JLL.

This view also connects circular thinking to dilapidations. Traditionally, tenants are expected to remove their fit-out at lease end, regardless of quality. A circular approach considers future use at design stage, avoiding waste and creating value for the next occupier.

Jon Rowling, Director of dilapidations (reinstatement) and dispute resolution, JLL UK, describes the end of a lease as like a "messy divorce": "No one wants to give more than they have to and so landlords may want to demonstrate how much the dilapidations works cost," he says. "That often means ripping out perfectly good interiors just to reinstate Cat A, often at great cost and waste."

Shifting the mindset from stripping out and starting over to adapting and improving is beginning to take hold, but it’s not yet a common feature when occupiers are deciding whether to stay or go. Circular procurement takes time, sometimes six to eight weeks more than standard routes, and requires coordination between disciplines.

"That early engagement is key," Wardrope adds. "It’s where we’ve seen the most success, not just saving money, but avoiding waste altogether."

In many cases, the planning needs to begin even before a lease is signed.

"We’re asking clients to think differently, to plan earlier, to allow more time," says Johana Rodriguez, Sustainability Manager, JLL Design Lab.

This approach means that circularity can be embedded end-to-end. Another challenge is the lack of formal infrastructure around materials reuse and storage.

"We don’t have a marketplace that fully supports the storage of those materials, like a material bank for both Cat A and Cat B fit-outs, and that’s a real barrier to secondary procurement,” says Draper.

Until then, success hinges on early alignment and appropriate project management.

Crucially, circularity doesn’t demand perfection. "You don’t have to do everything all at once," Draper adds. "Even incremental change matters; sometimes it’s just keeping one element, or sourcing one thing differently, that still makes a difference."

Encouraging clients to procure reused items from other projects or from second-hand retailers is increasingly part of the fit-out conversation.

"We’re seeing a really good response," says Rodriguez.

"Donation is always an option, remanufacturing furniture is getting more common. It’s about taking the fear out of reuse for the client. We’re supporting this shift with practical tools and platforms that make circular decisions easier to adopt across projects."

The most successful circular fit-outs are those that see the process not as linear, but as a loop, where today’s office becomes tomorrow’s material bank. That relies on joined-up working across leasing, design, sustainability and project management. It may not yet be the default, but it’s fast becoming the benchmark.

*A leading sportswear brand saved 42% through reuse of existing furniture, showroom fixtures and fittings, and joinery items such as the kitchen.