The London Energy Transformation Initiative has published a report that sets out a blueprint for retrofitting UK homes in order to meet national climate change targets.
Launched by the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI) with the help of more than 100 leading architects, engineers and building experts, the Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide is intended to set out practical advice on getting existing domestic buildings to hit net-zero emission targets.
It identifies specific energy use targets for four types of existing homes ? mid-terrace, semi-detached, detached and apartments ? alongside steps on how to achieve them, such as through the installation of insulation and heat pumps.
Retrofitting houses is "critical" if the UK is going to hit its net-zero carbon target by 2050, LETI said. Around 18 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions come from existing homes, according to the Climate Change Committee.
"Architects need to get a handle on this"
The Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide, launched a week before the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, looks at practical ways in which architects can successfully retrofit buildings.
"Getting to grips with building physics is key to a successful retrofit," Antonia Khayatt, a consultant at the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) who worked on the Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide, told Dezeen.
"We point out the connections between insulation, moisture and ventilation and provide further d...