City of London Corporation launches Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit
[edit] Launched of the Heritage Buildings Retrofit Toolkit
On March 21, 2024, the City of London Corporation launched a Heritage Buildings Retrofit Toolkit, at an event at the Merchant Taylors’ Great Hall. ‘Retrofitting the City’ was co-organised by the City of London Corporation and Purcell (who supported the development of the toolkit) and included speakers from Historic England, as well as individuals involved in leading heritage retrofit schemes in the City, including the London Museum.
The toolkit seeks to empower owners of heritage buildings to initiate the adaptations necessary to reduce carbon emissions and build climate resilience, a key priority of the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy, as it progresses toward a net-zero Square Mile by 2040.
With more than 600 listed buildings, 28 conservation areas, 48 scheduled ancient monuments and four historic parks and gardens, the Square Mile’s heritage structures pose a significant retrofit challenge, given the diverse range of buildings and their specific planning and conservation considerations.
The open-access toolkit provides a nine-step methodology to enable building owners to confidently start the process of responsible retrofit, to build a business case and deliver the necessary adaptations, in a way that protects these important community assets.
Whilst this toolkit draws on the historic environment of the Square Mile, referencing structures that are most significant to the City’s unique character, it is equally relevant to towns and cities in the UK and around the world who are exploring how to adapt their historic buildings for a sustainable future.
Access the Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit here: Heritage Building Retrofit Toolkit (cityoflondon.gov.uk)
[edit] Comments
Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, Shravan Joshi, said:
“It is vital we secure a sustainable future for our historic environment. Our ability to adapt our heritage buildings depends on developing a common understanding and promoting good practice of what can be achieved. This toolkit provides a structured approach to such collaboration.
“As the custodian of many heritage assets, the City Corporation itself is part of this journey and wants to share our own experiences and learn from others. This event is a further step along that journey, and we are committed to ensuring our policies and resources support others to act.”
Climate Action Policy Lead of the City of London Corporation, Alderman Alison Gowman, said:
“At the City Corporation we recognise that an important part of conserving our heritage buildings is ensuring they are fit for the future. This means making them as energy efficient as possible, reducing their carbon emissions and adapting them to changes to the climate. This toolkit provides a structured process for pursuing these actions, drawing on latest guidance and good practice.”
“Through our Climate Action Strategy, we have slashed the Corporation’s net carbon emissions by 66% since 2018 - putting us on track to hit our target to reach net zero in our own operations by 2027. We are now approaching the fourth year of our Strategy and will continue to have a heavy focus on buildings.”
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Alterations to existing buildings.
- Conservation.
- Climate change.
- Climate change connections.
- Do the building regulations apply to works to existing buildings?
- Demolition.
- English Heritage.
- Heritage.
- Historic environment.
- IHBC articles.
- IHBC.
- Material amendment.
- Material change of use.
- Minor material amendment.
- Non material amendment.
- Change of use class.
- Planning permission.
- Permitted development.
- Renovation v refurbishment v retrofit.
- Sustainability.
- Typologies.
- Types of work to existing buildings.
Featured articles and news
Biodiversity and the built environment digital series
The nature of building, with CIOB and CWP.
A call for prevention and sensitive re-use.
Risks to the long-term effectiveness of the BNG scheme
National Audit Office publish review of Biodiversity Net Gain.
The CIAT principal designer register
Providing assurance and verification of the capability and competence of registered ATs.
Building Safety recommendations and Northern Ireland
The NI roadmap to improving safety in high rise residential.
BSA residential sector competence standards guidance
BSAS 01:2024 Organisational Capability Management System Standard - Competence Assurance.
Specifying rendered external wall insulation for fire safety
How to interrogate the evidence provided to the specifier.
The benefits of writing articles for your organisation
How to create a profile for your organisation and publish for free.
No Falls Week. The importance of safe working at height
What to expect and what is on offer to avoid accidents.
Scottish Government action to reach net-zero targets
Retrofit expert group highlight critical actions needed.
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.