It is estimated that solid wall traditional buildings are some 6 million and make up 23% of the UK housing stock. Appropriate improvements to the energy performance of these will form an important element to increasing energy efficiency and sustainability.

Currently much refurbishment practice is predicted on modelled assumptions of building performance. However, how appropriate are these assumptions with regard to older, solid wall properties that make up much of our historic building stock?

Using measured data gathered from a variety of historic building refurbishment projects, this seminar will look at performance both before and after refurbishment. We will utilise information drawn from real, not modelled, performance as a means to judge both the risks and opportunities associated with retrofitting older buildings to improve their energy efficiency.

Speaker: Dr Caroline Rye, ArchiMetrics Ltd

RIBA Core Curriculum topic: Context - the historic environment and its setting