Retrofit Unintended Circumstances
PASSIVE RESILIENCE
Recorded by Sofie Pelsmakers, images by Essi Nisonen and Veera Saastamoinen
KEY READINGS
Pelsmakers, S. The Environmental Design Pocketbook, RIBA
Kimpian, J., Hartman, H., Pelsmakers, S. (2021) Energy, People Buildings: Making Sustainable Architecture Work, 2021, RIBA Publishing
Shrubsole et al. 100 Unintended consequences of policies to improve the energy efficiency of the UK housing stock, Indoor and Built Environment (2014)
Klinsky, Sonja and Mavrogianni, Anna, ‘Climate justice and the Built Environment’, Climate Justice: The Role of the Built Environment, Buildings and Cities, 2020, journal-buildingscities.org/articles/10.5334/bc.65/
Dollard, T. , Designed to Perform: An Illustrated Guide to Delivering Energy Efficient Homes, RIBA Publishing
Evans. H, How Buildings Work, Chapter 1, Heat p13 to 24 (Assessing & controlling heat transfer through the building fabric’) and chapter 3’, p83 -96 ‘moisture and building fabric’).
TOOLS
Moisture models: https://wufi.de/en/
Responsible retrofit guidance wheel http://responsible-retrofit.org/wheel/
INSPIRATIONAL BUILT EXAMPLES
Anne Thorne Architects, Haringey Passive terrace, London, UK
Sturgis Carbon Profiling, Passmore Street, London, UK
Potter & Holmes, The Barrel Store, Cirencester, UKn
RETROFIT UNINTENDED CIRCUMSTANCES
In low energy retrofits it is crucial to avoid unintended consequences that increase social injustices (e.g. summer-time overheating) and affecting occupant health and well being due to compromised indoor air quality, or jeopardising the building fabric and failing to materialise energy and carbon reductions. Low energy retrofit must always go together with a whole building approach, and improving insulation of the fabric must be carefully undertaken, understanding risks associated with internal, external or cavity wall insulation. It must also go hand-in-hand with background ventilation such as MVHR to remove moisture production and ensure good indoor air quality.