The Retrofit in Heritage committee, launched in summer 2022, is dedicated to retrofit and building services interventions in heritage buildings.
The committee is intended to provide a forum for discussion. The formation of the committee links to ongoing work that CIBSE is doing around climate change mitigation and adaptation and links it to building performance.
“Our mission is to support the built environment industry in the retrofit of buildings of special architectural and historic interest, working towards the carbon agenda targets of the wider industry, whilst avoiding maladaptation. It is proposed that the term ‘Retrofit’ in this instance be defined as ‘the upgrading of a building to enable it to respond to the imperative of climate change, avoiding maladaptation.’ Definition adapted from Marion Baeli, Residential Retrofit 20 Retrofit Case Studies, London; RIBA publishing 2013.
The Retrofit in Heritage committee aims to do this by creating an open environment for knowledge sharing across the industry and providing information, guidance and leadership about new developments, innovation, policy and legislation relating to retrofit in the heritage sector.”
The Retrofit in Heritage Committee sits within the existing CIBSE Heritage Group, which focuses on building services of heritage interest. The committee is free to join and does not require existing membership of CIBSE or the Heritage Group.
Get Involved
If you would like to enquire about joining the committee, please contact [email protected] The committee also has an active LinkedIn 'group' page, https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12712828/
Please feel free to connect with us via this page and we will be happy to answer your queries.
Other CIBSE work on retrofit with industry
CIBSE is also part of the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, a cross-industry initiative representing stakeholders across the built environment, who have joined together to develop a standard for defining net zero carbon buildings in the UK.
CIBSE continues to work closely with the London Energy Transformation Initiative (LETI). Retrofit across the existing building stock is essential for the UK to achieve Net Zero. CIBSE supports a detailed whole-building approach to retrofit to deliver carbon savings, improve health and comfort in buildings and avoid detrimental effects.
The LETI Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide provides a compelling argument for low-energy and low-carbon retrofit of the housing stock. CIBSE provided support and advice during the development of the LETI guide, and CIBSE and LETI will be working together on the Climate Emergency Retrofit Guide – Part 3, which will be focused on non-domestic buildings. We look forward to continuing our work with LETI on this essential topic.
Please contact Julie Godefroy, CIBSE Head of Sustainability if you are interested in taking part.
Interested in joining?
Contact CIBSE Groups to learn more about joining a Committee
Contact us
The CIBSE Special Interest Groups are run by volunteers. If you have a question, or would like to make a suggestion, fill out the contact form to be put in touch with the committee.
By filling out the form, you consent to your information being shared with the committee members.
