A world perspective on retrofit
This article originally appeared in IHBC's Context 149, published in May 2017. It was written by Peter Cox, president of ISCES+CC, ICOMOS International.
The ICOMOS international scientific committee on climate change feels that the wholesale retrofitting of the existing building stock is a major threat to historic buildings.
ICOMOS (International Scientific Council for Monuments and Sites) has 29 international scientific committees (ISC), tackling such issues as underwater archaeology and the theory of conservation. The ISCES+CC is the International Scientific Committee on Energy, Sustainability and Climate Change. It was first mooted at the ICOMOS meeting in Dublin in 2010, presented to the General Assembly in Paris in 2011 and ratified as a full ISC at the meeting in Beijing in 2012.
At present the committee has 56 international members from 29 countries spread well around the world. It has three very active mirror national scientific committees (NSC) in Ireland, Australia and Canada. These are working to set up new NSCs in Belgium, the UK and France.
While ISCES+CC has a wide remit, it has concentrated on the energy efficiency of traditional buildings, as the committee feels that the wholesale retrofitting of our existing building stock is a major threat to traditional and historic buildings. With most governments signing up to the Paris Agreement, there is a drive to reduce primary energy and carbon dioxide emissions, and much of the so-called low-hanging fruit is deemed to be our housing stock.
The research carried out by the committee is showing that there are several flaws in the way in which most countries are going about this. The committee believes that these flaws will lead to serious mistakes being made that will have a detrimental effect on the traditional and historic building stock, while failing to meet the energy efficient target it wished for.
The committee is working with a range of institutions across Europe on research in the area of energy performance of traditional and historic buildings. It is working with governments and state agencies to influence policy and implementation of the retrofit programmes, and with manufacturers to encourage them to look at existing products that are being used but are totally incompatible with breathable buildings. One of the great challenges is to educate and inform owners, authorities and specifiers about the need to fully understand the existing performance of such types, and the flexibility and sensibilities required to successfully retrofit a traditional or historic structure.
The Irish NSCES+CC ran a pilot colloquium earlier this year (2017) at which it invited a high-level audience from state, legislative and other authorities to encourage them to consider this dilemma. That model can be rolled out through ICOMOS national committees and the international scientific committee.
Seventy million dwellings in the 28 countries of Europe were constructed before 1960. This represents 34 per cent of our built environment. Only eight per cent of these dwellings have statutory protection, which leaves 65 million traditional and historic buildings at risk of damaging retrofitting in the name of sustainability.
With the major aim of the committee being to correlate all research in this area, the website will host a depository for all international research and discussion papers.
--Institute of Historic Building Conservation
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Bonfield Review.
- Ecobuild 2016 - Making the business case for large scale retrofit investment.
- Energy efficiency of traditional buildings.
- Energy-related retrofits of buildings and urban areas, a comparison between Germany and the UK.
- IHBC articles.
- National Refurbishment Centre.
- New energy retrofit concept: 'renovation trains' for mass housing.
- Renovation v refurbishment v retrofit.
- Retrofit coordinator.
- Retrofit, refurbishment and the growth of connected HVAC technology.
- Retrofit.
- The Each Home Counts report and traditional buildings.
- The Institute of Historic Building Conservation.
IHBC NewsBlog
BRE/BEIS project to modernise home energy rating scheme
The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has announced a new project with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to improve and modernise the home energy rating scheme used to measure the energy and environmental performance of UK homes.
Interdisciplinary IHBC accreditation recognised by CSCS for PQP Cards
Sector lead the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has recognised the IHBC’s professional accreditation and support (CPD etc.) in awarding its PQP (Professionally Qualified Person) cards.
IHBC Heritage Marketplace provides learning-led virtual engagement
The IHBC’s 2022 Aberdeen School Heritage MarketPlace (4.30-7.30PM, 15 June) is designed to extend the scope of a traditional IHBC School exhibition floor.
Unearthing the history of Gloucester’s 'the Fleece' Hotel starts
Work to repair a fire-hit medieval hotel in Gloucester is underway as crews have started work to strip back some of the modern trappings and reveal the historic framework.
Booking Open for IHBC Annual School: Aberdeen, 16-18 June 2022
Options for in-person and virtual delegates to explore ‘heritage on the edge’ across up to 4 days of IHBC engagement & learning.
European Heritage Heads Forum statement on Ukraine
The Secretariat to the European Heritage Heads Forum has has coordinated its declaration of solidarity and support for Ukraine’s cultural heritage institutions.
Welcome to #IHBC25 – 25 years since we turned professional
2022 will see the IHBC mark a quarter of a century since our incorporation as a professional body supporting and accrediting built and historic environment conservation specialists. We’re kick-starting it by inviting your ideas on how to mark this special year!
IHBC launches new Guidance Note on ‘Design sources for historic building conservation'
The IHBC’s latest Guidance Note adds to the institute’s open-access, online practitioner’s Toolbox.
England’s communities empowered to shape design of neighbourhoods
Twenty-five areas in England from Bournemouth to Carlisle have been awarded a share of £3 million to help them set their own standards for design locally. "move from a vicious circle of generic development to a virtuous circle of regenerative development".
IHBC at COP26 - Conserving our Places Conserves our Planet - Podcast
The IHBC seeks to raise awareness and understanding of how building conservation philosophy and practice contributes towards meeting the challenge of climate change.