At a time when the failures of retrofitting insulation have attracted more news coverage than the successes, from the Grenfell Tower tragedy to the botched installations of ECO4, it is worth reminding that low energy refurbishment done well can, and should, be transformative. Using experienced retrofit architects to carry out design proposals is key.
Awen Design are currently punching well above their size (thanks to their experience in social housing retrofit) by leading design proposals for the comprehensive and ‘deep’ refurbishment of the Lancaster West Estate, which lies in the shadow of Grenfell. Measures such as replacement high performance windows, airtightness parging and non-combustible external insulation will dramatically reduce the estate’s district heating load and, just as importantly, the residents’ energy bills. Careful attention to the elimination of thermal bridging and the weather protection of the insulation will extend the life of these dwellings for years. Coupled with heat recovery ventilation systems for both energy efficiency and healthier internal air quality, plus sprinkler systems for fire safety, this scheme will show that, with the right designers, retrofit can be done well and responsibly – putting right the shortcomings of the recent past and benchmarking a better exemplar for large-scale retrofit.
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