Renovation v refurbishment v retrofit
The terms renovation, refurbishment and retrofit are often taken to mean the same thing, or used as if they are interchangeable. However, they have different specific meanings:
- Retrofitting means “providing something with a component or feature not fitted during manufacture or adding something that it did not have when first constructed” (Ref Retrofit 2050: Critical challenges for urban transitions). It is often used in relation to the installation of new building systems, such as heating systems, but it might also refer to the fabric of a building, for example, retrofitting insulation or double glazing.
- Refurbishment on the other hand implies a process of improvement by cleaning, decorating, and re-equipping. It may include elements of retrofitting.
- The term ‘renovation’ refers to the process of returning something to a good state of repair.
A single project may include elements of retrofitting, refurbishment and renovation.
NB Maintenance is the process of keeping something in good condition, whilst restoration refers to the process of returning something to a previous state, in particular in relation to heritage buildings.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Archaeology and construction.
- BRE and Willmott Dixon project to retrofit of a 1920s semi-detached house.
- Building preservation notice.
- Conservation areas.
- Listed buildings.
- National Refurbishment Centre.
- Refurbishment.
- Renovation.
- Retrofit.
- Retrofit coordinator.
[edit] External references.
IHBC NewsBlog
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Donald Insall Associates, with the help of Historic England, has completed restoration work of Moseley Road Baths, being converted for use as an arts and culture venue.
IHBC Marsh Award Nominations – Closing Date 30 March
Celebrate your local ‘retired members’ and ‘successful learners’ with £500 cash prizes and 2020 Brighton School places!
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The Conservation Hierarchy is a new framework developed by the University of Oxford to help construction projects achieve Biodiversity Net Gain.
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Jacqueline Hughes, senior risk analyst at Equib, in pbctoday discusses how project managers for town centre developments can get their risk management strategies right.
Red Tape is Strangling our High Streets
A new paper from the Adam Smith Institute argues that the problem with the High Street has been totally misunderstood, saying that we need to reform restrictive planning rules and reject a policy of managed decline to reinvigorate our town centres.
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The Whole Life Cost of Energy (WLCoE) calculator – issued by government in BETA form – is intended to help building owners and operators to understand the full financial cost of the energy their buildings use, and welcomes feedback
England’s heritage worth £31Bn: New Historic England report
New research published by Historic England (HE) shows the value of heritage to England’s economy as it contributes to economic prosperity and growth through jobs in the heritage and construction sectors and from tourism.
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