The UK’s 30 million homes account for more than 18% of the country’s total carbon emissions, with three-quarters of this coming from heating systems.
Eighty-five per cent of UK homes are on the gas network, using fossil fuels and producing large quantities of carbon emissions.
Retrofitting is one major route to reducing the carbon burden of UK housing. It also provides an opportunity to improve the nation’s building stock, which is some of the leakiest, most poorly-insulated and designed in Europe.
However, retrofitting our homes with better insulation and low-carbon heating systems is also a major challenge, not least because of the enormous cost, but one we must address if we are to meet our net zero target by 2050.
Eye-watering cost
With the varying estimates as to the actual cost of retrofitting the 29 million existing homes across the country, it is very clear that the amounts of money involved are absolutely ‘eye watering’. This is not to mention the sheer scale of the disruption to residents, the limited experience in the sector and the clear logistics involved in addressing the issue.
Here at the Green Plaque, we are acutely aware that our developer partners have been dealing with this for many years. We have introduced the Green Plaque Retrofit Assessment to help identify key issues within the sustainability direction of retrofit solutions and to reward the developer for their application to new projects.
Our aim is to make the Green Plaque Retrofit Assessment a step change between where we are now and where we need to be.
Some target options are included in the assessment, while never losing sight of the fact that sustainability and reduction in environmental footprint is holistic and not wholly driven by carbon reduction.
Welcome to Green Plaque Retrofit
Green Plaque Retrofit follows the core pillars of environmental assessment, addressing energy, water, waste, pollution, biodiversity, lifestyle and future adaptability and resilience.
We aim to bring retrofit properties up to a B rating within the EPC. But this is not all, sustainability is holistic, and so the Green Plaque Retrofit will look at your project in the whole.
Designing for a changing climate
Water is our most valuable resource and must be conserved. The Green Plaque aims to target a daily use of no more than 100 litres per person.
We are also keen for developers to consider surface water runoff during their design and works programme. With a changing climate, the importance of keeping as much rainwater from the main drain for as long as possible is paramount.
We will help developers target pollution reduction during construction and, most importantly, when in use.
Biodiversity protection and enhancement is also really important to all of us at the Green Plaque. The UK’s residential gardens take up more area than our national parks and provide a wonderful opportunity to enhance plant and wildlife around our homes.
The way residents live in their home is an often forgotten but crucial aspect of addressing their environmental footprint. The Green Plaque directly targets specification items designed to help residents become part of the process.
You can reward your project with a Green Plaque. Flexible and current but still robust and challenging.
Green Plaque Retrofit-an example of one of our project reports: