It’s the circular economy in action — a very low embodied carbon solution using today’s technologies
OPTOPPEN WEB PLATFORM

Whitby Wood led a Built by Nature-funded consortium of UK and European partners in the development of the open-source interactive web app that enables city planners and asset owners to quickly understand the vertical extension potential of their buildings.

Case studies demonstrate the application of optoppen to common building types in European cities, focusing on the UK, Netherlands and Spain.

Find out more
optoppen.org

Optopppen project

Optoppen
ONLINE viability tool >

Project partners
Whitby Wood
Mule Studio
Creative City Solutions
Holland Houtland
Inst. for Adv. Arch. of Catalonia
New Urban Networks EU
Rising Tide

Optoppen

How do we get to zero-carbon construction? Optoppen, or topping up, is one way

Lightweight roof extensions — using timber and other bio-materials — increases the floor area in existing buildings, contributing to urban decarbonisation targets, densification strategies and more-efficient use of existing infrastructure. It’s the circular economy in action — a very low embodied carbon solution using today’s technologies.

Reusing existing building frames, and adapting and extending existing building stock, is a logical response to the challenges the construction industry faces in meeting climate targets. Lightweight vertical extensions increase the amount of additional floor area achievable using the capacity of existing foundations and structure.

Optoppen

Our team is experienced in all aspects of delivering this kind of project, many of which combine refurbishment, adaptation, retrofit, infill design, and facade extension, as well as optoppen and advanced timber engineering.

Adding floors creates value and enables energy retrofits of existing building stock. Optoppen using bio-materials has potential city-scale impact, enabling the creation of carbon sinks on top of our cities.

CONTACT : Kelly Harrison

See also Plotting our route to zero >

Projects