{"id":100481,"date":"2021-10-18T11:45:51","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T10:45:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=100481"},"modified":"2021-10-18T11:45:51","modified_gmt":"2021-10-18T10:45:51","slug":"carbon-targets-retrofitting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/energy-news\/carbon-targets-retrofitting\/100481\/","title":{"rendered":"Meeting carbon targets through retrofitting"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK must embark upon a comprehensive retrofit programme of its existing housing stock if it is to achieve net zero carbon by 2050 and the other targets along the way, says Simon Storer, chief executive of Insulation Manufacturers Association<\/a><\/h2>\n

The UK has some of the poorest performing housing stock in Western Europe, as well as some of the oldest, and IMA\u2019s recent publication Insulation for Sustainability<\/a>,\u00a0produced by specialist low-carbon consultancy XCO2, explains the importance of installing high performing thermal insulation as a key part of the retrofitting programme that will cut emissions, reduce heating demand, curtail fuel poverty and maximise comfort and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

With the government\u2019s Heating & Buildings Strategy<\/a>, including its retrofit policy, due to be published soon, there is no shortage of aspiration about what needs to be achieved. But the target ahead of us is daunting and will require a full commitment from government and other agencies. It must include a detailed programme of activity, coupled to the necessary legislative, financial and practicable frameworks to ensure the commitment is achieved in line with legal requirements.<\/p>\n

There remains increasing support for the retrofitting of good energy efficiency<\/a> measures in the UK, as demonstrated by the interest shown for the recent Green Homes Grant scheme, even though this scheme was poorly prepared and prematurely withdrawn. There are currently some 29m properties in the UK, most of which will still be in use in 2050 and the majority of which will require some form of retrofitting to meet the UK\u2019s net zero carbon target<\/a>. This will be an enormous challenge for property owners to achieve the standards required, but it will also create many jobs in the construction sector, produce a great deal of economic activity and result in warmer, more affordable, healthier homes.<\/p>\n

Generally, houses built from 1990 onwards have insulation fitted within the wall cavity to improve the thermal performance of the building. However, many homes built prior to this may not have any wall insulation. Typically, houses built before 1920 are predominantly solid wall constructions with no cavity (although solid walled properties continued to be built after this), whereas residential properties built between 1920 and 1990 are most likely to have a wall cavity but often with no insulation material unless it\u2019s been added since.<\/p>\n

A comprehensive retrofitting programme is therefore a valuable instrument in reducing heating demand, cutting CO2 emissions, while addressing fuel poverty and improving comfort and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

Design retrofit<\/h3>\n

There are specific design considerations when tackling a retrofit project, especially when targeting savings via a fabric first approach<\/a>. The most common debate is centred around the best location to position auxiliary insulation. Generally, the most suitable location and insulation type for different building elements are:<\/p>\n