External Resource: ‘Retrofit Meets: Carbon & Materials’ Panel
In this ‘Retrofit Meets’ panel discussion, National Retrofit Hub’s Co-director, Reachel Owens, explores the theme Carbon & Materials, considering the whole life cycle of retrofit projects to prioritise carbon reduction, sustainability and resilience along with speakers Gareth Morris (Head of Sustainability – Saint-Gobain), John Ferguson (Founder – Sisaltech), Victoria Podmore (Operations & Compliance Manager – EWI Pro), Premma Makanji (Eckersley O’Callaghan) and Dr Robert Grover, (University of Bath).
Rob shared insights from the Transforming Homes project and the consortium’s work using biobased materials in home transformation through a co-design and community-led lens.
Rob’s delves into:
- The Transforming Homes demonstration homes in Bristol and Swansea and the design challenges associated with interwar housing typologies.
- Identifying common defects resulting from previous retrofit interventions.
- Moving beyond individual home improvements to consider housing transformation at a street and neighbourhood scale.
- The role of bio-based materials in creating healthier, lower-carbon homes.
- Community-led approaches to housing transformation, including design charrettes and co-design activities with residents.
- The opportunities of local delivery models for housing transformations.