Retrofitting is best way to cut carbon emissions, says report

The Zero Carbon Britain report 2030, published by the Centre for Alternative Technology on Wednesday, says a 50% cut in heating and energy demand should be achieved by low-tech but swift measures such as better insulation.

The report, with contributions from architect Tom Woolley and Arup engineer Chris Twinn, also argues for the wider use of natural materials such as timber and straw and says architectural education needs to make sustainability a central component.

As well as a chapter on the built environment, the study — which show how the UK could cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030 — covers areas such as transport, land use and employment.

The report, which comes ahead of government construction advisor Paul Morrell’s low-carbon review later this year, also called for tougher building regulations including new codes for sustainable buildings and refurbishment.

“While there are many innovative companies applying these new techniques… there are also high levels of inertia in the general construction industry,” the report said.

It also argued that more research should be done on how to dismantle and re-use buildings, saying architects “should consider how a building could be taken apart so that constituent parts and materials could be easily reused or reclaimed”.