Historic buildings could become greener

One key suggestion is that buildings could be made greener by creating a heating system where heat is pumped into the ground and stored until it is needed.

Other environmentally-friendly improvements include adapting roofs to include solar panels, rewarding green landlords and tenants and creating model buildings to demonstrate to others how buildings can be made greener.

The report also recommends that green interests should be considered by an umbrella group like the Westminster Carbon Reduction Alliance, consisting of major landowners, community groups, English Heritage and the council which could work together to reduce greenhouse emissions.

The study by the University of Westminster contains research on how greater sustainability can be achieved in the West End.

The study was jointly funded by the council, the Soho Community Environment Fund, English Heritage and The Crown Estate.

Westminster Council's deputy leader Cllr Robert Davis said: "Westminster's rich historical heritage plays an essential role in contributing to its unique character.

"Adapting existing buildings to meet green requirements is a challenge but we consider sustainability and heritage to be mutually compatible in the future of the West End, which is why we commissioned this report.

"Working with property owners, academics, developers and industry leaders, we hope to come up with practical ways of finding long term environmental design solutions that are in accordance with the character of each historic building."

Tony Lloyd-Jones, Director of Research at the Max Lock Centre at the University of Westminster, who led the research team, added: "Soho lies at the heart of London's West End and is the principal centre for creative industries in London and the UK. As such it can set a highly visible example of how historic mixed use, commercial core areas can be made more sustainable."

"These areas, with their attractive and lively streets and spaces, are immensely valuable in cultural and economic terms and their buildings are very adaptable to a range of uses so tend to stand the test of time.

"We need to work with them to get the best out of them for the environment. We believe we have shown this is possible given better understanding of retrofitting measures by local authorities, property owners and tenants and the use of green leases to overcome potential conflicts of interest."

Westminster Council will be looking at ways it can implement the recommendations in the report in Soho in coming months.