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Shaping up for retrofit
Posted on: 21 October 2014
By: mackene
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Filed under: News
Pure retrofit is a response to the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the biggest challenge of our generation. This article argues that despite barriers, the retrofit market is growing and likely to offer architects significant work opportunities as the effects of anthropogenic climate change unfold.
BREEAM UK Refurbishment & Fit-Out 2014
Posted on: 21 July 2014
By: mackene
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After two years of piloting, industry consultation and development, the draft 2014 version of the BREEAM UK Refurbishment and Fit-out scheme has now been published. The following documents are available via the Resources section of the BREEAM website (you will need to register with the website to access these documents): Draft BREEAM UK Refurbishment and Fit-Out (RFO) 2014 technical manual; Consultation document introducing the scheme, how it has been developed, the launch programme and details about which aspects are being consulting on; a scoping tool to allow assessors to identify the assessment criteria that would apply to different refurbishment or fit-out project types; and a summary of differences compared to the BREEAM New Construction 2014 scheme and the BREEAM 2008 version that most refurbishment or fit-out projects currently use.
A housing stock fit for the future: Making home energy efficiency a national infrastructure priority
Posted on: 24 June 2014
By: mackene
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The report outlines the economic benefits of home retrofit. It calls for home energy efficiency to be made a national infrastructure priority and for all political parties to commit to a target of 1 million deep retrofits a year by 2020.
Energy retrofits of owner-occupied homes
Posted on: 11 June 2014
By: mackene
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This issue (Vol.47, Issue 4, 2014) of the journal Building Research & Information explores policy opportunities for energy retrofitting of owner occupied homes, and in particular, the need for greater focus on the human dimensions of the retrofitting process.
Better Retrofit Partnership
Posted on: 8 May 2014
By: mackene
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The Better Retrofit Partnership promotes a new approach to the refurbishment of traditional buildings: an approach that is based on fully joined-up processes and backed up by its unique Performance Pledge.
The UK’s National Energy Efficiency Action Plan and Building Renovation Strategy
Posted on: 1 May 2014
By: mackene
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The NEEAP explains how the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive will help realise the UK’s cost effective energy efficiency potential.
Retrofit for the future: Reducing energy use in existing homes
Posted on: 1 May 2014
By: mackene
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This report shares the lessons from a research project that set the target of cutting CO2 emissions from existing homes by up to 80%. The Technology Strategy Board’s Retrofit for the Future programme explored retrofit innovation through 86 home upgrading projects. The research programme was supported by government and delivered with the support of industry partners including the Energy Saving Trust. The looks in detail at the lessons from 40 of the projects. It identifies six priority areas that provide a framework for successful retrofit: retrofit planning; building fabric; indoor air quality; services; working on site; and engaging residents.
Energy efficiency in old buildings
Posted on: 25 April 2014
By: mackene
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The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings [SPAB] have published a briefing which offers a summary of its interest in sympathetic energy efficiency improvements to old buildings. The recent briefing on energy efficiency intends to bring clarity to the methods, materials and debate that that will help ensure that historic buildings continue to be sustainable in the future. This includes information of SPAB’s research on the energy efficiency performance of old buildings.
Retrofit 2050: Critical challenges for urban transitions
Posted on: 11 April 2014
By: mackene
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Scaling up retrofit presents a number of critical challenges for the transition to urban sustainability. Drawing together insights from the EPSRC Retrofit 2050 project, this briefing sets out key success factors that need to be in place to deliver sustainable futures for UK cities.
An estimate of the effects of a reduction in the rate of VAT on housing renovation and repair work: 2015 to 2020
Posted on: 1 April 2014
By: mackene
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This research report by Experian suggests that a reduction of VAT on housing renovation and repair from 20% to 5% could boost the UK economy by more than £15billion from 2015 to 2020. It could also create more than 95,000 jobs and save 240,000 tonnes of CO2 from thousands of homes. The report is backed by more than 60 charities, trade associations, business groups and financial institutions that are united in calling on all three main political parties to commit to the reduction in their 2015 election manifestos.
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