Curtins Roundtable with Liverpool Innovators: Unlocking the Future of Existing Buildings

Curtins hosted a Liverpool Innovators roundtable bringing together voices from across the built environment, public sector and innovation ecosystem to explore how the reuse and retrofit of existing buildings can support a more sustainable, adaptable Liverpool City Region.

With development viability under pressure and costs continuing to rise, the discussion centred on how making better use of what already exists can offer a practical route to delivering low‑carbon, flexible space. The conversation highlighted retrofit not just as an environmental necessity, but as a strategic response to economic realities.

A strong theme throughout was the importance of collaboration. Public and private sector partnerships were widely recognised as essential to unlocking progress - particularly in aligning funding, sharing risk and accelerating delivery. There was also optimism around growing policy support, including funding flexibility, heat network pilots and regional ambitions such as achieving net zero by 2035.

Participants emphasised that innovation will be critical to scaling retrofit efforts. This includes modernising processes, adopting new technologies and improving the speed and cost efficiency of delivery. Digital tools and data were highlighted as key enablers - from understanding how buildings are used in real time, to informing smarter design and ongoing adaptation.

The conversation also reinforced the need to think long-term. Retrofitting is not just about upgrading buildings for today, but ensuring they remain relevant and flexible as technologies, occupier needs, and market conditions evolve. Starting with smaller, scalable pilot projects was seen as a pragmatic way to test new approaches and build momentum.

However, challenges remain. Viability continues to be a significant barrier, particularly when balancing the risks of refurbishing existing or listed buildings against new development. Delegates pointed to the need for clearer incentives, stronger alignment across project stakeholders, and shared accountability to ensure that sustainability ambitions are realised in practice.