THE UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) has announced that zero carbon buildings minister Patrick Harvie MSP, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken, and Scottish Funding Council chairman Mike Cantlay OBE will be key speakers at its upcoming conference ‘Beyond Niddrie Road: Retrofit Solutions for Older Housing.’
The event, taking place on September 19, aims to explore strategies for integrating retrofit across older housing in Glasgow, Scotland, and the wider UK.
Held at the voco Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow, the free event will offer attendees insights into topics related to retrofitting including the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESHH) review, funding and delivery streams at different governmental levels, and tenement strategies for achieving net zero emissions while preserving architectural heritage.
Patrick Harvie said, “Our homes and workplaces account for around a fifth of Scotland’s emissions. Scotland has legal obligations to reduce the emissions which cause climate change and the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy outlines our ambitious programme that reflects the scale and the size of this challenge. We are committed to investing at least £1.8 billion over the course of this parliament towards heat and energy efficiency measures and to support those least able to pay.
“This event will be a vital gathering for sharing knowledge, networking, and exploring innovative retrofit strategies for older housing. It presents an excellent opportunity to engage with experts and contribute to sustainable solutions that preserve and enhance our ageing housing stock.”
The conference will also showcase an evaluation of the deep retrofit project of a pre-1919 sandstone tenement located on Niddrie Road in Glasgow. This project, funded by the Glasgow City Council, Southside Housing Association, and the Scottish Government, with the Scottish Funding Council also funding the evaluation, is said to have ‘significantly’ reduced energy demand, cut bills, and provided comfortable living spaces for tenants of the building’s eight flats.
Susan Aitken added, “Retrofitting is critical to the global climate agenda, helping secure a just transition through delivering energy-efficient homes, developing skills and creating huge economic opportunities. The ‘Beyond Niddrie Road’ conference places this important agenda into the context of the tenements which give our city its characteristic look and feel, and will remain home to tens of thousands of Glaswegians for decades to come.”
The Niddrie Road retrofit project is a collaborative effort between CaCHE, Southside Housing Association, John Gilbert Architects, CCG Construction Ltd., and the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Architecture.
Mike Cantlay said, “Projects like the Niddrie Road retrofit point the way to wider changes that could contribute significantly to Scotland reaching its target for net zero. This conference is an important opportunity to share what we have learned from the evaluation of the project and think strategically about how we can overcome the housing challenges associated with the climate emergency.”
The event is now at maximum capacity. Those seeking to attend the conference can sign up to a waiting list, where they will be offered a free ticket should one become available.
