This event features three presentations from organisations looking at the challenges of residential retrofit and working out solutions based on housing stock, tenureship and community action. The speakers showcase their work and ideas, as we consider how we can achieve deep retrofit at scale, encouraging the audience to critically examine and discuss the current practices and barriers in retrofitting buildings, while also exploring innovative approaches, technical advice, and potential collaborations to simplify the process, improve sustainability, and create local supply chain markets.
- Naomi Grint from Etude sustainability engineers: “Retrofitting at scale using archetypes” featuring architects involved in the project
- Phillipa Burgin, Associate Director & Senior Building Surveyor, EarlKendrick – “Challenges of leasehold retrofit”
- Brighid Carey of Action on Empty Homes: “Community-based retrofitting at scale”
Etude, together with Levitt Bernstein and RAFT, have been taking forward the concept of ‘archetypes’ to successfully and safely retrofit housing stock at scale. Working with Southern Housing Group they developed a Retrofit Action Plan to simplify their stock of 26,000 homes to 7 retrofit archetypes and provide a clear and digestible pathway to retrofit, including specific technical advice and details.
Action on Empty Homes (AEH) has completed a one-year feasibility project to test and evaluate the viability of local community-based Retrofit Empty Homes Action Partnerships (REHAP), to retrofit long-term empty homes. REHAPs would deliver onsite green skills training and build local supply chain markets, which will help drive action to deliver fabric-first retrofit at a local area level. Working in collaboration with four local authorities and community areas, AEH is developing a ‘framework’ for community-based retrofit, that will act as a practical guide and resource for key partners. Brighid Carey will share key findings from the report, highlighting the scalability of community-led retrofitting in partnership with local authorities.
The private leasehold sector makes up a large part of UK housing, and there are various legal and practical complexities when it comes to upgrades in the industry. EarlKendrick is an award-winning firm of chartered building surveyors, working hard to stay on top of developments to offer up-to-date advice around retrofit and green upgrades in residential blocks. Phillipa Burgin will discuss the challenges and what needs to be done to support landlords and tenants.
Jonathan Hagos, Director of Freehaus, chairs the event. After the panellists have presented, we open for discussion with the audience.
