Informing practice
Helping improve historic housing
A team based at the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) - led by Prof. Ken Gibb - is undertaking a project to help reduce the carbon footprint of older housing in Scotland and protect our housing heritage.
Working in partnership with Glasgow City Council, Southside Housing Association, John Gilbert Architects and other partners, CaCHE are evaluating the retrofit of a block of eight tenement flats in Glasgow. The Scottish Funding Council-resourced project, unusually, encouraged securing core funding for the actual retrofit works from Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government (which had not been confirmed at the time the research was announced).
The evaluation allows for real-life testing of the ‘fabric first’ insulation and related works through energy performance measurement, a post-occupancy survey of tenants and cost-benefit analysis, among others. The award-winning project has delivered many lessons for the city’s tenement retrofit strategy as well as signalling the benefits of retrofit to residents, landlords and government.
The main evaluation report was launched in September 2023. Key conclusions are:
- Energy demand was radically reduced leading to a significant reduction in energy costs for tenants.
- Economic analysis indicates that under all plausible scenarios it is more efficient to retrofit than to demolish and rebuild tenements.
- Tenement planning policy has to align with the needs of pre-1919 tenement retrofit.
- Tenants have to be supported, listened to and communicated with substantively in order to make the most of the opportunity deep retrofit brings.
Further monitoring and evaluation will continue with respect to building and energy performance as well as tenant experience.
Niddrie Road: A blueprint for energy efficient traditional tenements (youtube)
Niddrie Road: Lessons learned from a net zero tenement retrofit video (youtube)