Low Carbon Buildings

The Zero Carbon Yorkshire Buildings working group is made up of a wide range of building professionals, businesses, activists and academics from across the Yorkshire region.

It is now also affiliated to the AECB as the AECB Yorkshire group. The group meets three times a year in Leeds and has identified the following areas to work on initially:

Promotion of Passivhaus low energy building standard (for newbuilds) to local authorities and housing associations within Yorkshire.
Exploring solutions to the financial, political and technical challenges posed by the need to undertake radical retrofits of existing buildings within Yorkshire.
Promote low carbon building and showcase local exemplar projects within Yorkshire through conferences and websites.
Exploring appropriate low carbon energy sources for ultra low energy buildings

Ideas and suggestions for the group are very welcome. Contact the administrator of the group: chayley@greenbuildingstore.co.uk

LINKEDIN Group: Zero Carbon Yorkshire BUILDINGS

NEXT Meeting

The Big Retrofit Debate: Training & technical

Monday 24 January 2022 6-7.30pm

Retrofit is a complex and technical process requiring a ‘whole house’ approach. This session looks at the practical guidance and support that is out there to ensure that we undertake our retrofits well so that the buildings will perform as designed. There will be time for networking and smaller group discussions during the online event.

PAS 2035 – what is it?
AECB CarbonLite retrofit training
Grassroots training for contractors
Examples of Yorkshire retrofit training

November 2021 Online’ The Big Retrofit Debate: Making it happen’

View recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKOnjlPdTbY&t=23s

Changing Government retrofit policy

Insulate Britain’s policy demands – Matthew Tulley, Insulate Britain – Download pdf
The Great Homes Upgrade – Aydin Dikerdem, New Economics Foundation Email: aydin.dikerdem@neweconomics.org, More information: greathomesupgrade.org

Local community grassroots retrofit initiatives

‘The West Yorkshire Better Homes Hub and a joined-up approach to driving retrofit at scale’ Andy Boyle, Otley Energy Email: andy@createadventures.co.uk – Download PowerPoint

Local examples of largescale retrofit

‘Wave 1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund – West Yorkshire’s experience so far, and plans for the future’, Martyn Broadest, Connect Housing, Email: martyn.broadest@connecthousing.org.uk. Report: Scaling up Better Homes Yorkshire – Download PowerPoint
‘Low Carbon Retrofit of Craven District Council Buildings’, Marian Kempson, Eco Perspective, Email: mariankempson@ecoperspective.co.uk – download pdf

July 2021 Online meet-up ‘Training for low energy building & retrofit’

Fiona Jones, Zero Carbon Harrogate ‘Retrofitting Training and Engagement Project between Zero Carbon Harrogate and Harrogate College’ Email: events.zch@gmail.com & holly.hansen-maughan@harrogate.ac.uk
Trish Andrews Overview of the AECB CarbonLite Retrofit courses. Email: trish@aecb.net
Dr Jenny Brierley: ‘Low-carbon and fresh air for life: a missing link?’ Email: jenny@jennybrierley.com
Dr Kate Simpson, School of Design Engineering, Imperial College London ‘Builders engagement with energy retrofit and training: Capabilities, Opportunities and Motivation‘ (presenting research undertaken with Dr Niamh Murtagh , The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London and Prof Alice Owen , Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds) Email: kate.simpson@imperial.ac.uk
Toby Putnam, Project Officer/Researcher, Otley Energy ‘Community retrofit schemes & the supply chain’. Email: toby@otleyenergy.co.uk
Chelsie Naylor, Programme Leader at the Climate Challenge College in Todmorden ‘Climate Challenge College: natural building training for young people’. Email: chelsie@tlchub.org.uk

Ask Mayor Tracy Brabin to launch Green Jobs Task Force – send a letter using Friends of the Earth’s template email

January 2021 Online meet-up ‘Building Passivhaus & retrofit at scale’

Andrew Cooper (andrew.cooper@kirklees.gov.uk), West Yorkshire Mayoral Green Party candidate, speaking on proposed ‘Green Building Fund’
Russell Smith (russell.smith@parityprojects.com), Managing Director of Parity Projects, speaking on ‘The National Retrofit Strategy campaign’
Jim Wild (jim@leda.coop), Director and Senior Engineer at LEDA, speaking on ‘Engineering Zero Carbon for York’ in LEDA’s role as the Building Services Engineers in the York Passivhaus scheme.

VIEW RECORDING OF THE WEBINAR (you will need to register to view)

October 2020 Online meet-up ‘Building Passivhaus at scale’

Kevin Pratt (kevin@purehaus.co.uk) & David Bradley (david@purehaus.co.uk) Pure Haus Development
Ben Burton (ben.burton@york.gov.uk) City of York Passivhaus programme

VIEW RECORDING OF THE WEBINAR (you will need to register to view)

September 2020 Online meet-up ‘Community retrofit’

Jon Hall (j.hall@communityenergyengland.org), Community Energy England
Jonathan Atkinson (jonathan@carbon.coop), Carbon Coop / People Powered Retrofit – Powerpoint
Tim Lunel (tim.lunel@lowcarbonhub.org), Cosy Homes Oxfordshire – Powerpoint
Andy Boyle (andy@createadventures.co.uk), Otley Energy – Powerpoint
Tom de Simone (yorkcommunityenergy@gmail.com), York Community Energy – Powerpoint
Matthew Tulley (info@ecoholmes.org.uk), EcoHolmes – Community Land Trust Holmfirth – Powerpoint
Ellen Robottom (leedstuc@gmail.com), Leeds TUC Environment Sub-Committee – Powerpoint Additional resources from Leeds TUC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAW1woUDbeY with Sam Mason (PCS union), Tom Knowland (LCC), Mike Childs (FOE) and Les Levidow (Open University). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY3FqOv_rfY with Linda Clarke (Westminter University) and Andy Walker (SURE Insulation).
Geoff Cox (reflections1471@gmail.com), Sheffield retrofit campaign – Powerpoint

July 2020 Online meet-up ‘Build Back Better/ Green Recovery’

‘Accelerator Cities – The role of West Yorkshire, Leeds and Otley in UKGBC programme for city-led retrofit’: James Brass, Policy Officer, West Yorkshire Combined Authority. More information: https://www.ukgbc.org/ukgbc-work/accelerator-cities/ – Powerpoint
‘Connecting communities: The role of communities in the UKGBC Accelerator Cities Programme’ Andy Boyle , Otley Energy – Powerpoint
‘Climate action at Neighbourhood Level’, Phil Bixby, My Future York & Passivhaus designer/ Architect at Constructive Individuals – Powerpoint
‘The renovation of Ravine House’: Howard Evans, Director at Chiles Evans + Care Architects & Director of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Dual Courses at the Sheffield School of Architecture, University of Sheffield – Powerpoint
‘Kingswood Estate, London – independent review of a 700-unit, mixed-construction retrofit scheme’, Nicholas Heath, Director, NDM Heath Ltd: Sustainable Energy Services & Associate Director, Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance – Powerpoint coming soon

WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING (You will have to register to view)

March 2020 Online meet-up

Professor Fionn Stevenson, Sheffield University ‘Housing Fit for Purpose: Performance, Feedback & Learning’ – and the importance of effective Building Performance Evaluation/ Post Occupancy Evaluation for NZEB housing’. Powerpoint Link to Book
Dr Martin Fletcher, Research Fellow, Leeds Sustainability Institute: ‘Evaluating the Performance of Passivhaus Dwellings Pre and Post Occupancy’. Powerpoint