Sustainable Resource Use in Tenant Fit-Outs of Office Premises; Barriers, Trade-Offs and Organisational Conditions

Abstract

This master’s thesis examines how sustainable resource use can be promoted in tenant fit-outs of office premises, with a particular focus on early decisions in the process. Tenant fit-outs refer to adaptations made to adjust a space to the needs of a specific tenant. The study explores how tenant requirements, long-term flexibility and resource use are balanced, and what working methods and organisational conditions can support less resource-intensive fit outs. The thesis is based on a qualitative case study of office premises in Kvarter Johanna in Gothenburg. The empirical material consists of semi-structured interviews with five respondents working within leasing, project management and sustainability. The interviews were complemented by document analysis and site visits to provide a broader understanding of the practical and organisational conditions of the project. The findings show that sustainable resource use is influenced by several factors. Tenant-specific requirements, market conditions, technical limitations and deviations from established standards can make it difficult to reduce resource use. The study also shows that important trade-offs are made before the construction phase begins. At this stage, tenant needs must be balanced against factors such as cost, time, lease length, technical feasibility, climate impact and the future usability of the premises. These factors are not always prioritised according to a fixed order but are assessed in relation to the conditions of each individual project. A central conclusion is that flexibility does not mean that all types of changes should be made possible. Rather, it is about creating premises that can be adapted over time without extensive rebuilding, material replacement or unnecessary interventions. The study therefore shows that sustainable resource use is not only determined by material choices at a later stage, but also by how tenant needs are interpreted and translated into a fit-out from the beginning. To support less resource intensive tenant fit-outs, earlier collaboration between leasing, project management and sustainability is needed. Shared routines, clearer decision support and better use of climate and material information can make the consequences of different choices more visible before the scope of the fit-out is fixed. In this way, property owners can better meet current tenant needs while preserving the future flexibility and usability of the premises.