A SIGNIFICANT refurbishment to a c.190,000 sq ft industrial unit in Northampton has been completed by leading fit out and refurbishment contractor Pexhurst, transforming the building into a more sustainable, efficient and community-connected industrial space through an ambitious reuse-first delivery model.
The multi-million-pound project for Aviva involved upgrading the warehouse and office spaces through new M&E installations, polished concrete flooring, new finishes and repairs to existing access doors, alongside the installation of five new 22kW dual-head electric vehicle chargers. A large-scale rooftop solar PV system was also installed, comprising 678 panels and delivering a total capacity of 400kWp. The system is expected to generate around 312,000 kWh of electricity annually, saving approximately 60 tCO2e per year. As part of the works, the existing gas utility was fully removed, with the building now operating on all-electric systems supported by on-site renewable generation. These improvements support the building’s strong environmental performance and have enabled the property to achieve an EPC A rating.
Central to the refurbishment was a strategy focused on retaining and reusing materials wherever possible. Pexhurst worked closely with circular economy consultancy Reusefully to embed reuse principles from an early stage, helping to identify opportunities to retain materials on site, redirect surplus items into reuse systems and maximise environmental and social values throughout the programme. Pexhurst established a dedicated reuse area on site to safeguard items inherited from earlier works, allowing a significant proportion of sanitaryware, ceiling tiles, carpet tiles and timber skirting boards to be reinstated within the building, including the reuse of existing carpet and ceiling tiles within the staircases.
In total, 158 m² of carpet tiles and 62 m² of ceiling tiles were retained in situ, while a further 550 m² of carpet tiles were collected by Urban Miners for reuse within the industry, ensuring materials remained in circulation rather than being discarded. Combined with the reuse of existing materials, the approach delivered a significant saving when compared with installing new products.
Charlie Hazeltine, contracts manager at Pexhurst, said: “This project shows what can be achieved when sustainability sits at the centre of a refurbishment programme. With the right team and supply chain partners, materials that are often considered disposable can be reused, repaired or rehomed to extend their lifecycle. It demonstrates how early design-stage planning and careful coordination can achieve meaningful environmental and financial benefits while maintaining the quality of the finished space for clients and future occupiers.”
Alongside this reuse activity, the team procured more than 600 litres of sustainably sourced HVO to power site plant, delivering an estimated carbon saving of 1.6 tCO₂e compared with traditional diesel. This saving is equivalent to the emissions from around 4,000 miles driven by an average petrol vehicle.
Vinyl offcuts were collected for closed-loop recycling, allowing them to be remanufactured into new flooring rather than downcycled, while redundant lighting equipment was sent to Recolight for specialist recycling. 262 pallets in total were returned through the Pallet Loop scheme to be repaired and reintroduced into commercial circulation, avoiding an estimated 54 cubic metres of waste – equivalent to six 12-yard skips. A key sustainability gain came from a major change in ceiling tile specification, replacing the original product – which offered no viable end-of-life route – with a Rockfon tile supported by a full closed-loop recycling system.
In addition, all major new refurbishment materials were supported by the creation of material passports. The collated datasheets, responsible sourcing documentation, EPDs and end-of-life pathways were incorporated into the operation and maintenance manual to equip future occupiers with the information needed to make circular, low-waste decisions throughout the building’s lifecycle.
To support occupier wellbeing and encourage social interaction, the project also delivered a new external amenity space, featuring outdoor seating, table tennis tables and extensive new landscaping and planting. This enhanced outdoor environment provides future tenants with dedicated space for breaks, informal meeting and recreation.
Alongside the construction programme, Pexhurst delivered a range of community initiatives that strengthened local connections and enhanced the project’s social value legacy. The team partnered with Pineham Barns Primary School to run a ‘draw your favourite building’ competition involving 30 pupils. Three winners received Amazon vouchers and all of the 30 entries were collaged and displayed on the Heras fence covers around the site for the children to see. Pexhurst also strengthened its links with local education by providing work experience opportunities to two students.
Additional activity included food bank donations and a volunteering day at Restore Northampton, where members of the Pexhurst team, together with project partners from Leslie Clark and Spring Building Consultancy, supported donation sorting and parcel packing.
A community litter pick, delivered in collaboration with circular economy consultancy Reusefully, further contributed to improving the surrounding area, while surplus materials such as paint have been directed into additional reuse schemes, including Dulux’s Community RePaint initiative, ensuring they continue to benefit local groups. Similarly, several leftover basins were donated to Phoenix Resource Centre for use in community projects in Kenya.
Hazeltine added: “Our work on this project shows how a refurbishment can combine environmental performance with genuine community impact. By maximising material reuse and collaborating with local organisations, we’ve helped ensure the project delivers benefits that reach far beyond the building itself and its future users.”
To learn more about Pexhurst, visit www.pexhurst.co.uk
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